November 02, 2015
Moko face of resistance in Native America
Maori could offer advice on a revival of traditional tattooing in the Pacific Northwest of the United States.
Storyteller Joe Harawira says the question arose during his latest trip to the region where he accompanied a group of weavers to Oregon and Washington.
He says the moko worn by the group, including his own, were a great talking point.
At one workshop there were four young women who had a facial moko in the traditional rectilinear style of their tribes.
"It was quite an interesting conversation. It's not accepted back in America by Americans and even by some of the tribespeople and they're getting a bit of grief, so we are looking at taking maybe a team over there and sitting down on some of the reservations, talking to them about why we believe it is important to bring the mark back in Aotearoa New Zealand and talk them through some of the kaupapa," Mr Harawira says.
He says wearing a moko means he is no longer mistaken for a Mexican when he travels in North America.
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