GRIOTS REPUBLIC - AN URBAN BLACK TRAVEL MAG - OCTOBER 2016

na’s moko is his iwi’s kaitiaki (guardian).
They are a tribute to his eldest son Kelly,
who passed away as a child and his
youngest son, Amaru. Bhana chose to
have his moko on his calf, so that Kelly
could be with him wherever he went
and see all the things his father saw.
When it came time to choose a place to
honor Amaru, Bhana chose his pūhoro.
Due to the renaissance of tā moko, it is
imperative for artists to have the knowledge
of the significance of their designs.
Traditionally, tāne (men) were the sole
artists. Wahine (women) slowly began
breaking gender barriers, becoming tā
moko artists. Talent alone, however,
has not been enough for wahine artists
to be embraced by the community at
large.
Ostick, who is based in Paihia, on the
North Island, is one of few women in
the entire country to excel in this art
from. She has experienced first hand
rejection based on her gender and her
response to how she has dealt with the
Due to the
renaissance of
tā moko, it is
imperative for
artists to have
the knowledge of
the significance
of their designs.
backlash from those who oppose her
artistry is that “the challenges [she] has
[met] along the way due to ignorance or
jealousy only make [her] walk stronger.”
So, tā moko is more than an artistic expression.
It is the transference and retention
of culture. It is a way to honor
family. And finally, it is a symbol of cultural
pride.
*Optional components of a pepeha depending
on one’s iwi(s)
LA native, CosmoLatina, fell in
love with Aotearoa 10yrs ago.
She is a globetrotting polyglot
with 8 languages, 38 states,
40 countries and 11yrs as an
expat under her belt.
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& Twitter: Cosmo_Latina