Raggamuffin: Rotorua tattoo for Big Mountain star

Raggamuffin star and Big Mountain band member James McWhinney will always have a part of Rotorua with him.

The US musician, who with his band, was part of the Raggamuffin 2012 line-up at the Rotorua International Stadium on Saturday, may have left Rotorua already but not without taking a part of the city with him after getting a moko done by local moko artist Hohua Mohi.

Mr Mohi said James had pre-booked for the moko after being referred by another artist.

He said James, his brother Quino and a few others had come into the studio in Hinemoa St on Sunday and spent about three hours there while the moko was being done.

Mr Mohi gave James a moko on his arm, which he designed while James explained what he wanted it to represent. Mr Mohi said James wanted to tell a story about his passions, including his children and his music.

"It went from his [James'] mind, to his mouth, to my mind, to his arm.

"He told me what he wanted the design to say."

He said the reggae star and his band members were very down to earth and very spiritual.

Mr Mohi said he also completed a moko on Te Omeka Perkins from Kiwi reggae band House of Shem.

Mr Mohi said he worked on designs on about five other people who were in Rotorua because of the Raggamuffin festival.

He was only able to book in a few people in such a short space of time.