MUNDURUCU
Spanish voyagers reach islands in this group before James Cook’s eighteenth-century visits. One island receives the name Gente Hermosa, meaning ‘Beautiful People’. The name Cook Islands later appears on Russian charts in honour of the British navigator.
Rarotonga and Aitutaki are among the best-known islands today, but each island has its own history and artistic traditions. On Mangaia, early accounts describe warriors tattooing designs, including spirals, on their faces and buttocks before battle.
European writers compare these markings with Māori moko in New Zealand, noting differences in the use of individual patterns. Their intimidating appearance is described as one purpose of the designs, alongside the wider cultural significance of tattooing.