DYADIC | MAPJD 2016/17 | Projects

The Revival of Ta Moko - An Ancient Art in a Contemporary World

As a result of constant colonisation by the Western world over the Maori in the past few centuries, ta moko has fallen from a symbol of ferociousness, social status and honour to an art form to be ridiculed and eventually almost completely banished by the introduction of the Tohunga Suppression Act 1907, which outlawed tohunga – Maori experts in any skill or art, including spirituality and most importantly in this context, moko practitioners – from practicing and teaching others. Fortunately, ta moko has been revived through much tenacity by new practitioners beginning in the 1970s. Much has changed over the centuries, and it is this new contemporary revival of ta moko which forms the basis of the current project. I have had the opportunity to speak to and work alongside various ta moko artists during my time in New Zealand, photographing their work, and interviewing them about their opinions on certain contemporary issues related to this revival of ta moko.

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The Revival of Ta Moko - An Ancient Art in a Contemporary World | Photography by Jeff Yeung