Originally published in 1896, this classic of ethnography was assembled by a skilled illustrator who first encountered Maori tattoo art during his military service in New Zealand. Maori tattooing (moko) consists of a complex design of marks, made in ink and incised into the skin, that communicate the bearer's genealogy, tribal affiliation, and spirituality. This well-illustrated volume summarizes all previous accounts of moko and encompasses many of Robley's own observations. He relates how moko first became known to Europeans and discusses the distinctions between men and women's moko, patterns and designs, moko in legend and song, and the practice of mokomokai: the preservation of the heads of Maori ancestors. Features 180 black-and-white illustrations.
Was given an assignment to get Maori mask ideas.Having never seen one before ,I bought the book.The book gives rather dated ethnography behind the traditional patterns from various museums,much of it poorly reproduced, certainly nothing like the striking graphic art on the cover. Do not let me slag the book for you.This book depicts spiritual people in a spiritual quest, no matter what Victorians thought about it.If you are an artist you will find a spiritual space to start the design process yourself rather than mindlessly ripping off work of modern tattoo artists.
Tattoo Review
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 16 years ago
Great art work in this book. Highly recommended for anyone interested in Polynesian culture and the art work.
Maori Magnifico
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 16 years ago
Absolutely a great find. I'm glad I grabbed this one. It has a lot of relevance to todays tatooes.
Wonderful book!
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 17 years ago
I've read a lot about Maori tattooing, and this book is very informative and interesting. I strongly reccommend it for educational or personal research.
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