RLG101H5 Lecture Notes - Lecture 8: Koru, Proverb, Lightning
Document Summary
Many maori ancestral carvings are covered with traditional tattoos, or moko (literally, to strike" or to tap") These same markings can be seen on some contemporary maori men and women. Originally chiseled (not just inked) into the skin, these markings identify both the individual and his or her relationship to the community. Some moko elements may signify education level, personal and family rank, tribal history, or ancestral connections; other designs may simply be marks of beauty or ferocity in battle. Women were allowed tattoos only on or around their lips and chin, while men could receive markings on their entire face. A key design that is repeated on iti"s face is the koru, or frond/spiral, the most common and important of all moko elements. Uetonga, the god of lightning, developed moko in imitation of the marks that his grandfather ru, god of earthquakes, had left on the face of the primal parent, the earth.
