moko

n.

the system of tattooing practised bythe Maoris. See Tattoo. It is not a fact – – as popularlysupposed – – that the «moko» was distinctive in differentfamilies; serving, as is sometimes said, the purpose of acoat-of-arms. The «moko» was in fact all made on the samepattern – – that of all Maori carvings. Some were more elaboratethan others. The sole difference was that some were in outlineonly, some were half filled in, and others were finished inelaborate detail.

1769. J. Banks, `Journal,' Nov. 22 (Sir J. D. Hooker's edition,1896), p. 203:

«They had a much larger quantity of amoca [sic] orblack stains upon their bodies and faces. They had almostuniversally a broad spiral on each buttock, and many had theirthighs almost entirely black, small lines only being leftuntouched, so that they looked like striped breeches. In thisparticular, I mean the use of amoca, almost every tribeseems to have a different custom.»

1896. `The Times' (Weekly Edition), July 17, p. 498 col. 3:

«In this handsome volume, `Moko or Maori Tattooing,'Major-General Robley treats of an interesting subject with atouch of the horrible about it which, to some readers, willmake the book almost fascinating. Nowhere was the system ofpuncturing the flesh into patterns and devices carried out insuch perfection or to such an extent as in New Zealand. Bothmen and women were operated upon among the Maoris.»