The internet has given people direct
access to images and information they could not find anywhere else,
particularly Maori tattoo designs. The endless assortment of styles, such as
mixed Polynesian with Samoan and Hawaiian is just the tip of the ice burg.
Tattoo Artists have been quick to
take advantage of the opportunity to use these designs on the internet to
promote their business through the creation of Maori inspired tattoos.
But as time has progressed there has
been an evolution in Maori design as people are looking deeply into the
meanings and discover many of the Maori inspired designs seen on the internet
have limitations where meaning is concerned.
As more information about Maori
tattoo and Ta moko is made available it is having an impact on what people are
wanting to include in their design regarding family, love, protection, strength
and power to name a few. Many people are coming to the realization that Maori
tattoo is not just a decoration with a few abstract lines and circles, but a
way of being. It is used to identify a person's status, to identify who they
are, to enhance their life or to tell their story.
Ten years ago the key words, Maori
arts, Maori design and Maori tattoo hardly featured on Google. As people become
aware of this art form websites are now featuring in flash art and articles.
What is a Maori inspired design?
Firstly, I do not have a problem
when it comes to non Maori respectfully wearing a Maori tattoo. We all borrow
from other cultures and is what enriches our own.
A Maori inspired design looks like a
Maori design but genuinely has no specific meaning. If it does it is very
generic. Usually created by someone who does not necessarily have in any depth
knowledge in Maori arts. I get many people sending pictures of their tattoo
wanting to know what the meaning of it is, and I encourage them to go back to
the source, their artist. Often, "there is no meaning ' it's a Maori
inspired design.
What defines a genuine Maori tattoo
or design?
Some say that only Maori people can
get a Maori design because it is based on their tribal affiliations, and their
culture? As a designer, I do not have designs for Maori and designs for non
Maori. I use the exact same process resulting in a fully customized design
tailored to meet your needs based on the information that you have provided me
with, it may be about your culture, your life story, your family and important
aspects in your life. As a Maori artist I specialize in using Maori symbols,
elements and motifs. Each design is different and unique because no person is
the same.
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