Māori

Māori are the Indigenous people of Aotearoa New Zealand. Their traditions of carving and tā moko give wood and skin a powerful language of patterns, ancestry and identity.

Traditional tattoo specialists used uhi, chisel-like tools, to work pigment into the skin. Some methods left distinctive grooves. Men could wear elaborate facial moko and designs elsewhere on the body; women's moko often centred on the lips and chin.

In 1769, Cook's expedition encountered warriors performing a haka. Weapons, fierce expressions, forceful movement and chanting made the challenge clear. The visitors drew back and waited for armed support before approaching again.

Carved houses, canoes and everyday objects reveal another side of the same artistic skill. Tā moko is not only a subject in old portraits: it remains a living expression of Māori identity today.