The traditional Māori practice of facial tattooing that could mark status and adulthood is tā moko.
Tā moko is the Māori practice of permanent skin marking, especially the facial tattooing historically associated with Māori men and, in different forms, women. The designs communicate identity, ancestry, status, affiliations, and life history. For many Māori, moko is not merely decorative body art but a culturally significant expression of whakapapa and belonging.
Historically, receiving moko could be connected with a person’s transition into adult social roles. The designs and placement were meaningful, and the process was performed by specialists. Māori tattooing was severely disrupted by colonization and suppression, but tā moko has undergone a major revival in contemporary Māori communities.
Tā moko is not itself one standardized coming-of-age ceremony. It is a practice that can accompany important life stages and express social identity. That distinction separates it from rites such as Kinaaldá or the Apache Sunrise Ceremony, which are organized ceremonial observances.