More than skin deep

.

Maori take their moko so seriously, FIONA BARBER finds, that many would not participate in a new book exploring traditions and tattoos.

The faces gazing out from the pages of Moko — Maori Tattoo, share more in common than the ink embedded in their skin. An unmistakable thread running through the portraits on the book's glossy pages is a look of solemnity.

"People regard what they're doing as deeply serious," says Pita Turei, a co-editor and coordinator of the project. "They were letting this person take this photo in a book representing an age of moko, a new age of moko."

Turei, who was at some of the interviews and photographic sessions, witnessed the depth of feeling surrounding moko. To illustrate the sensitivity, he points out that initial attempts by the New York-based Dutch photographer, Hans Neleman, were resisted.

Why? Maori, says Turei, have a legacy of misrepresentation by tau iwi, new people.

Turei and fellow Maori film-maker Karen Sidney were approached and invited into the project, hui were called and protocols drawn up. As a result, the ownership and copyright of the images will remain with the people and their descendants.

"Some people signalled immediately that they would have nothing to do with it," says Turei. "The rest would accept a visit to talk about it — about 50 per cent let us take their photo." These were the people who chose not to be invisible.

The result is Moko — Maori Tattoo, Neleman's portraits of 58 faces, accompanied by the words of the subjects themselves.

In the book Turei, a documentary maker and broadcaster, says that ta moko, which was banned and forced underground by colonial governments, was kept alive by older women who lived in remote areas beyond the effect of European condemnation.

"In the 70s young urbanised Maori in search of powerful symbols of ethnic identity rediscovered the art and moko found a new generation of skin."

The spectrum of portraits include young women who chose to take the moko while teenagers, gang members, residents of the Mt Zion Hikurangi Rastafarian community, and a suited man who works for the Government.

Hemi Te Peeti (James Patariki) writes that he was given the mantle of his late father. "It's not scary or radical, just a natural part of life."

Maori rights campaigner Tame Wairere Iti, who writes in the book and is an editor, is also one of the photographic subjects. A few pages away are portraits of his brother, Piri (Dave) Iti, in Army uniform.

Turei's favourite is a portrait of a mother about to breastfeed her child. "It's the Madonna and child of moko photographs. There's her husband — he's just like Joseph," he says, pointing to the picture of the man on the opposite page.

What about the subjects with gang tattoos, which some Maori do not regard as true moko?

"I'm not the judge," says Turei, who himself bears Tahitian moko encircling his forearms. "I wanted it (the book) to be as fair as possible."

Moko — Maori Tattoo is also destined for a European market and some copies will be printed in German. Turei has some observations about overseas reactions to moko.

"French are derisive, Germans are shocked but in a delightful way, Americans are quite openly fascinated," he says. "New Zealanders have fear. Fear comes from guilt and guilt is a result of oppression."

According to Turei, Neleman wanted to show that he's at the cutting edge of what's hip in the world. There were, he says, men running around Europe with tattoos after seeing the film Once Were Warriors.

He believes the book will change the way people see moko. "It's a book that holds up a mirror to ourselves and in doing so will change the way we see ourselves."

He envisages a day when moko will become part of normal dress art for Maori. People will adopt designs, temporarily, for special occasions.

"We mightn't put a moko on to go to the bank but we might for a wedding, we might for a performance, a rock concert."

And a permanent facial moko for Turei?

"If I'm lucky," he says.

-News Review, Weekend Herald

* Moko — Maori Tattoo, published by Stemmle, distributed in New Zealand by Reed Publishing. Available in March, $79.95.