Porangahau hosts revival of the moko kauae Maori chin tattoo

The women who participated in the first Ahurei Moko Kauae in front of Rongomaraeroa Marae in Porangahau.

Porangahau hosted its first Ahurei Moko Kauae, a celebration of the moko kauae or the Maori chin tattoo.

"It's fantastic, it's empowering and you can see it empowering women," says Raina Ferris, the host of the ahurei. "It's reclaiming their rights to express themselves as wahine Maori."

It was held at Rongomaraeroa Marae where 17 women either received moko or had enhancements made to their already existing moko kauae.

"They've left here and they've made changes in their lives for their whanau, for their hapu and for their iwi."

Raina has her own moko kauae which she received at the national kapa haka competition called Te Matatini in 2005.

Raina Ferris.

This time around, she received her ruahine, forehead tattoo, and says that many of the younger girls want to get their own moko kauae.

"They are wanting it, but they've got to have the support," she says meaning from their family members.

Two of her three daughters have had theirs done and her sisters are also ready to get theirs.

"I had a niece come back from Australia, they've come from all over. It's been wonderful. It truly has been three days of celebration here."

Women had their kauae tattooed from some of Maoridom's most well known ta moko artists, Mark Kopua, Wiremu Barriball, Joni Brooking and her brother Henare, as well as Hemi Te Peeti.

The experience was deeply spiritual for many of the women who received their moko kauae with the work being carried out inside the whare.

For Raina's daughter, Piri Galbraith, the journey for her had been at least 15 years in the making and it's something that she has always wanted to do.

She was there when her mother got her moko kauae and watched when her older sister received hers as well.

But the time was right for her at this Ahurei Moko Kauae.

"It was timely to have it here at home on our marae.

"It wasn't sore. I was surrounded by my whanau, my tamariki, the waiata, the haka, the moteatea," she says.

"It just enhances everything about being Maori, he Maori ahau."

For her mother Raina the important thing is sharing the knowledge and teaching those who participated in the three-day event the teachings and stories that come with moko kauae.

It's about the future generation which she says underpins the hui and the revival and return of the moko kauae today in 2018.