Polynesian Tattoo

What you call Maori tattoo is not...

In Germany, it is common to refer to the various styles of Polynesian tattoos as Maori tattoos. However, this is a mistake. If sushi is not an Italian specialty, the same applies to the various Polynesian styles that we cannot call Maori. The word Maori refers only to New Zealand tattoos.

Polynesian tattooing is one of the artistic expressions most deeply rooted in the culture and history of the Pacific Islands, and should therefore be respected by using the right adjectives to describe it.

On the photo you can observe a real Maori tattoo done by Gordon Toi from "House Of Native" (Aoteroa, New-Zealand) This does not normally look like the tattoo you want because most often it is the Samoan or Marquesan Style that you qualify as Maori.

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