Ta moko under the spotlight at Matariki celebrations

Ta moko remains popular. Photo/Supplied

A resurgence in interest around ta moko has attracted a great deal of attention around the live ta moko demonstrations during the first week of New Zealand Maori Arts and Craft Institute's Matariki celebrations.

Live ta moko were carried out on site, with artists also giving lectures about the art form as part of the celebrations.

New Zealand Maori Arts and Craft Institute artist and tumu (head) of schools Arekatera Maihi said the interest in last week's events was part of a wider resurgence in ta moko in New Zealand and offshore.

"Whenever moko is given any sort of exposure there is always a lot of interest," he said.

Six artists carried out ta moko over the week, with a mix of locals and overseas visitors getting moko.

He said the institute even had a couple of Lions supporters who decided to get one.

"They sat amongst us during the lectures and would have heard a lot of korero on why we do it," he said.

"There was a lot of learning for everyone during the lectures."

With a dedicated ta moko section in the new wananga precinct, the Matariki celebrations have been a good way to put moko in front of people.

Mr Maihi said the special part of ta moko was that they're not simply an image or design out of a book, but reflective of an individual's story.

"The hardest job for the moko artist isn't doing the work, for us it is winning someone over. We draw directly on the skin from our conversations, so they don't see a design first."

It was significant to see the renaissance of ta moko in Aotearoa, as part of a wider reawakening of the Maori culture, Mr Maihi said.

The moko renaissance started about 30 years ago.

"It is a record of a time in your life you want to acknowledge, a reference to people you love, of events that have happened. It must mean something to the wearer," he said.

"When you wear the moko, you wear the story."

While ta moko, especially facial ta moko, sometimes attracted negative attention, Mr Maihi said there was now far more awareness and appreciation of the culture and meaning behind it.

"Growing up I saw maybe three people with facial moko, that was all. I think moko is safe now. I want to see it on the faces of our people, and I think the more we normalise it, the more comfortable non-Maori will be with our facial ta moko," he said.

"I think people have woken up to the fact that having a culture is awesome. Even for non-Maori that get moko, they have done their research and love the fact that moko means something."