Tā Moko

The distinction between moko and Kirituhi is pretty much a lack of process. So, where moko has a process of researching your genealogy and going through the whanau and asking about permissions and all that type of stuff, Kirituhi generally won’t have that process.

– George Nuku on pākehā Kirituhi (skin art)

I believe that if a person goes ahead and gets ta moko whakairo done for the wrong reasons, that person will have something happen to them. And in some cases, it could be to the extent that they die.

– Rangi McLean

I felt let down. I just felt my wairua draining out of me. And they actually made me wait 20 odd years.

– Rangi McLean on not getting the right permissions from his elders to proceed with his moko

The only place that I’ve had issues with moko in the world are here, in New Zealand Aotearoa. I’ve been stopped by the police a couple of times – and I have no issues with the police – but I just ask 'Why? Why have I been stopped?' and you get an array of answers.

– Harawira Pearless on the racial stigma of moko