From Matua Kahurangi.

The following is a quote from Māori ta moko artist Jason Phillips who shared a story passed down orally.

`“People think everyone got tattoos in the old days. They’re wrong. Five to ten percent at the most. You had to be something to deserve it, especially a facial tattoo.”‘

The moko has been devalued.
There was once a time in New Zealand when the ta moko was sacred.
Etched into the skin through pain and ritual, it was reserved for those who had earned it through status, service, and mana.

I can confirm the above paragraph.

For about 3 or 4 years we had as our next door neighbour a Maori lady in her early 80’s, we actually got her the unit after family (that is her family a neice or a nephew and their partner) who owned the house she was living in decided to sell it. The unit next to us was empty at the time and we recommended her to the owner.

Lets call our Maori lady Mihi, which in fact is her real Christian name. I had known her family for about 25 years, her late father was CHB Junior Rugby Selector in 1966 and I was in that team. I had also played rugby against and with one of her brothers and Cricket and Rugby against her late husband. mrspdm knew her through her volunteering at the organisation mrspdm worked at before and during the time she was looking for accommodation.

It was while at that place of work/volunteering that one of the other volunteers asked Mihi in front of mrspdm why she, Mihi, did not have a Moko.

Poof said Mihi you have to earn one of those you just don’t get one tattooed on your chin because you can – like the young Maori people do these days – they are mocking and devaluing (or words to that effect) Maori traditions.

Mihi died in her chair at home while watching TV one evening, it was mrspdm who noticed her curtains had not been opened in the morning and found her. Mihi had a simple service at the Hastings Crematorium and did not return to her home Marae.

Here is a link to the full Matua Kahurangi substack – appropriately entitled

Cultural barcode

https://matuakahurangi.com/p/cultural-barcode