I switched over to become a traditional Maori tattooist in which I practice the art of
moko. And it was during that period of time when moko was very close to extinction.
And so a small handful of us in different pockets around the country started to play
around with the idea, the notion of getting into that and helping revive that artform and
that culture. Moko is about the wearer’s genealogy. It can also include within that history
and within that genealogy the various different geographical ancestral parts or places
that are important to your family. It’s also about things that you’ve achieved in your
lifetime. It’s actually part of the story, and so it becomes part of a lifelong journey.