"I felt like it had always been there."

October 25, 2016 1:36 PM

It is believed every Māori woman wears a moko on the inside, close to their heart; when they are ready, the tattoo artist simply brings it out to the surface.
posted by bq (15 comments total)

Great story. I love the idea of women showing their power and spirit in such a visible and beautiful way. I have one tattoo. I didn't get it until I was in my early 30's and when I got it, I felt that I had taken a tangible step toward coming into my own identity.
posted by agatha_magatha at 2:22 PM on October 25, 2016 [6 favorites]

Labour MP Nanaia Mahuta gives first TV interview on receiving her chin tattoo
posted by not_the_water at 2:55 PM on October 25, 2016 [2 favorites]

so cool!
posted by 5_13_23_42_69_666 at 3:51 PM on October 25, 2016 [1 favorite]

Mod note: Couple comments deleted. ennui.bz, stay out of this thread. If you want to stay on this site at all, stop dropping bombs in every conversation you set foot in.
posted by LobsterMitten (staff) at 4:28 PM on October 25, 2016 [8 favorites]

These are beautiful designs on beautiful women.
posted by SecretAgentSockpuppet at 5:34 PM on October 25, 2016 [2 favorites]

I love the energy of these women you can see in the photos - a serene power and strength.
posted by sallybrown at 6:25 PM on October 25, 2016

This moved me to tears. I have several tattoos, all of which help define my identity. I spent all of my childhood and much of my early adulthood being invisible. As I reached my late 30s and early 40s, and finally found acceptance in areas of my life I never dreamed existed (as an artist and as an empath), tattoos became powerful totems for me—statements, resistances, declarations. The bird, the circle, the neko, the words... they all carry great weight, and have become, for me, my normal. One can't help but see them, and therefore, me.

Thank you for posting this.
posted by flyingsquirrel at 6:43 PM on October 25, 2016 [7 favorites]

I loved the photographs and the interviews.
posted by Dip Flash at 7:11 PM on October 25, 2016 [1 favorite]

This was beautiful. It was so striking to me how long many of the women waited before they felt moved to do this--it seems like such an important milestone to acknowledge where they've been and what is ahead for them. I especially loved the oldest woman who felt that the moko restored her visibility in society; when I think of how aging women are so often overlooked or marginalized, that was a really powerful statement to me.
posted by TwoStride at 7:28 PM on October 25, 2016 [12 favorites]

This article made me so happy. Thank you for sharing it. Reminded me that I need to re-watch WHALE RIDER again. Also, it made me think of tattoos in a completely different way. I've kind of always thought of tats as "a permanent reminder of a temporary feeling." But the cultural significance of their chin tattoos is so significant, and the fact that the tattoos cannot be hidden so powerful. Kudos to these women reclaiming their strength and their heritage. So beautiful and badass.
posted by pjsky at 8:12 PM on October 25, 2016 [2 favorites]

Some extraordinary photos of the moko of Maori gang members. (Daily Mail link, but the comments are actually fine: go figure)
posted by Sebmojo at 8:32 PM on October 25, 2016 [1 favorite]

And a good set of pages on Te Mana o Wahine.
posted by Sebmojo at 8:55 PM on October 25, 2016

This article also brought tears to my eyes. I have always felt that my tattoos were all just sleeping under the surface of my skin, waiting to be brought out, and always feel more myself when a new one is complete. Lovely and bold women.
posted by fairlynearlyready at 1:47 AM on October 26, 2016 [4 favorites]

Chin tattoos on women were a part of the Mohave Native American customs. Girls got them when they were initiated.
I always found their faces fascinating.
Amazigh people in North Africa also had chin tattoos until they became more urban.
It seems to have always gone with cultures which gave women a high value.
posted by Katjusa Roquette at 11:34 AM on October 26, 2016 [1 favorite]

The designs and inkwork are so beautiful.
posted by Sassenach at 6:28 PM on October 27, 2016