The traditional Māori tattooing practice associated with identity, status, and adulthood is called tā moko.
Tā moko is the Māori practice of marking the skin with traditional designs. Unlike ordinary tattooing, traditional moko was historically created by chiseling grooves into the skin, producing a distinctive texture as well as permanent pigment.
Moko could communicate genealogy, social position, affiliations, achievements, and personal identity. Facial moko, especially moko kauae worn by Māori women, has deep cultural significance. Men’s facial moko could also express lineage and status.
Tā moko is sometimes reduced to the idea of a decorative tattoo or simply confused with Polynesian tattoo traditions from other islands. Although Māori and other Pacific tattoo practices share broad regional connections, tā moko has its own Māori meanings, designs, and history.