Tā Moko
I am thrilled to currently be working on two moko peha puhoro for clients in Nelson and Wellington.
We are spreading the work out over time, during several sessions, rather than doing it all in one big sitting lasting several days in a row. I look forward to sharing more pics once the mahi is all complete.
I am happy to offer moko peha puhoro to both male and female clients.
Email me on taryn.teuira@gmail.com if you would like to start your moko peha puhoro journey with me.
Mauriora!
It has been very healing and grounding to have been based in Porirua, Wellington, my tribal homeland, for the past four months or so.
Thanks to all my local clients and those that traveled from afar to get tattooed by me in recent months.
Thank you so much to all of my clients in Nelson, Blenheim, Taakaka and Kaikoura that I recently tattooed during my summer Te Tauihu tour, it was great to see you all!
I was chuffed to be invited to Te Papa Tongarewa Museum of New Zealand earlier this year to taa moko alongside some outstanding artists and culture experts.
With some of my whanau at Te Papa.
Many thanks to all of the beautiful people, men and women who came to get tattooed by me this year!
May we all have a wonderful and blessed 2021 together!
Ngaa mihi nui!
‘EVERY GOOD AND PERFECT GIFT IS FROM ABOVE’ from James 1:17. Original painting. Acrylic, ink, gloss on stretched canvas, signed and dated on the back. SOLD.
This Spring I am having a lot of fun playing with a new color palette inspired by the colors that I observe in my garden. This is a new season of life for me where I am spending a lot of time at home, gardening, painting, mothering, restoring, re-generating, praying, meditating, studying Christianity and observing nature.
Being able to spend a lot of my days now focusing on experiential color therapy and painting, is another dream come true for me.
The yellow used in this series refers to the gorgeous sunny faces of the Daffodils that have now sprung up everywhere with the coming of Spring. Also represented in this series are the kumara and riwai (potatoes) that are growing in our garden, mounded with earth around them to keep them warm - a symbol of sustenance, survival, and nourishment for the family, and a gift from God.
The whitebait that have started running in the river here in Ōtaki are also represented in this series, and I am looking forward to cooking and eating the ones in my freezer given to me by a lovely client!
These paintings are colored songs of praise and worship for our life-giving God and His gifts given to us through the physical natural world, whenua (earth), maara (gardens), flowers, trees, plants and natural kai.
The abundance of nature is revered in the SPRING COLLECTION, and the colors of the gorgeous wildflowers springing up at this time of year also - I love observing the different wildflowers and their colors in our garden.
Spring is a time of re-generation. fecundity, new life, birth, new beginnings, and fertility and these themes are symbolized throughout this new series of works.
The earth literally becomes ‘born again’ during the Spring season, and having recently been baptized into Gods Kingdom at Rangiātea Church here in Ōtaki, I now have a deeper understanding of what it means to be ‘born again’, and natures demonstration of this during the Spring season is truly a sight to behold, and to be a part of, as a human engaging with nature.
Email taryn.teuira@gmail.com to stay posted about new works becoming available soon from the SPRING 2020 COLLECTION.
Working outside in the sun on the new SPRING COLLECTION.
‘OH COME, LET US ADORE HIM’ original painting. Acrylic, ink, gloss on stretched canvas. Signed and dated on the back. AVAILABLE by emailing taryn.teuira@gmail.com.
‘POIPOIA TE KAAKANO KIA PUAWAI’ original painting. 20cm by 25cm. Acrylic, ink, gloss on stretched canvas. Signed and dated on the back. AVAILABLE by emailing taryn.teuira@gmail.com.
‘ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE WITH GOD’ from Mark 10:27. Original painting, acrylic, ink, glitter, gloss on stretched canvas. 50cm by 60cm. Signed and dated on the back. AVAILABLE by emailing taryn.teuira@gmail.com.
‘BLESSED ARE THE PEACEMAKERS, FOR THEY WILL BE CALLED THE CHILDREN OF GOD’ from Matthew 5:9. Original painting. Acrylic, ink, gloss on stretched canvas, signed and dated on the back. AVAILABLE by emailing taryn.teuira@gmail.com.
‘THE FECUNDITY OF SPRING’ original painting, acrylic, ink, gloss on stretched canvas. Signed and dated on the back. SOLD.
‘FOR THE GIFT OF JAH IS LIFE’ new original painting from the SPRING COLLECTION. NOW SOLD.
I love to look at my garden when I paint.
‘OLD THINGS ARE PASSED AWAY, BEHOLD ALL THINGS ARE BECOME NEW’ from 2 Corinthians 5:17. Original painting, acrylic, ink, gloss on stretched canvas. Signed and dated on the back. SOLD.
‘LET THE HEAVENS REJOICE AND THE EARTH BE GLAD’ from Psalm 96:11. Acrylic, ink, gloss on stretched canvas, signed and dated on the back. SOLD.
‘WE BURIED OUR UTU AND EMBRACED FORGIVENESS’ original painting. Acrylic, ink, gloss on stretched canvas. Signed and dated on the back. SOLD.
‘GOD IS WITHIN HER, SHE WILL NOT FAIL’ from Psalm 46:5. Original painting. Acrylic, ink, gloss on stretched canvas, signed and dated on the back. SOLD.
‘PEACE I LEAVE WITH YOU, MY PEACE I GIVE UNTO YOU’ from John 14:27. Original painting. Acrylic, ink, gloss on stretched canvas. Signed and dated on the back. SOLD.
Crushing on this color palette.
‘BE IMITATORS OF GOD, AS LOVED CHILDREN’ original painting. Acrylic, ink, gloss on stretched canvas, signed and dated on the back. SOLD.
‘IN ALL THINGS, REJOICE’ original painting. Acrylic, ink, gloss on stretched canvas, signed and dated on thew back. SOLD.
‘I WILL WALK BY FAITH, EVEN WHEN I CANNOT SEE’ original painting. Acrylic, ink. gloss on stretched canvas. Signed and dated on the back. SOLD.
‘KUA WAATEA TE HINENGARO, ME TE KAHA O TE RERE O TE WAIRUA, KA TAEA E KOE NGAA MEA KATOA’ original painting. Acrylic, ink, gloss on stretched canvas. Signed and dated on the back. SOLD.
Also, big thanks to everyone that has recently visited me at my private Ōtaki (Wellington) based studio, to receive taa moko.
Here is just some of my recent MOKO work made at my new private Ōtaki (Wellington) based studio.
Thank you to all of my lovely clients.
With one of my lovely clients that traveled from Te Wai Pounamu.
Looking forward to joining an awesome group of artists that will be sharing their art forms together at Te Papa Tongarewa National Museum of New Zealand this Matariki on 19th July from 11AM - 3PM.
I will be demonstrating taa moko and will also have some of my original paintings on display.
Hope to see you there if you’re around Wellington!
A recent moko completed at my new private studio in Ōtaki, Wellington.
A recently completed original painting titled ‘Hei te pō, hei te ao’ currently showing at Toi Matarau Gallery at the Māoriland Hub in Ōtaki.
A recently completed original painting titled ‘He kororia ki te atua’ currently showing at Toi Matarau Gallery at the Māoriland Hub in Ōtaki.
On 21st March we had an awesome intimate Art Salon event at Ōtaki Beach at May 15 Tattoo Studio.
I was thrilled to collaborate with two of my besties, amazing artists Lorna Tawhiti and Pip Hartley.
We had artist talks, Q + A, a live music and poetry performance, a pop up art exhibition, snacks and drinks and it was fun evening!
THANK YOU TO EVERYONE THAT PURCHASED TICKETS, CAME ALONG, ASKED QUESTIONS AND JOINED US AT THIS SPECIAL EVENT.
This Māori Art Salon was in association with Karanga Ink, May 15 Tattoo and Toi Tangata International Māori Art Gallery.
UPCOMING COLLABORATIVE ART SALON DESTINATIONS INCLUDE LONDON IN AUGUST AND MANDURAH, PERTH IN DECEMBER 2019.
I visited Tahiti for the first time in February 2016.
I will be in French Polynesia again this 12-19 September 2018, to participate in the cultural tatau festival happening on Mo'orea. I will be traveling with a group of approximately 30 different multi talented artists and cultural practitioners from Aotearoa and i'm really looking forward to it!
I'm also looking forward to getting tattooed myself at this festival!
For all Mo'orea bookings please complete the booking form: HERE.
At Ora Ny Gallery with works by myself and the Toi Wāhine Collective exhibited behind me.
It was a three part trip - my partner, taonga puoro artist Jerome Kavanagh had a performance at The Lincoln Center to attend, I did a guest spot tattooing at NY Adorned, and I took over a capsule collection of art work to be exhibited at Ora Ny Gallery by the Toi Wāhine Collective. Phew it was an amazing whirlwind two trip and New York was so good to us, and I am so grateful to all of the inspiring conscious people we met over there!
Our Toi Wāhine Collective two day pop up shop at Ora Ny Gallery was off the hook!
I was very grateful to have esteemed contemporary Māori dancers Jack Grey, Louise Potiki Bryant, members of Altamira Dance Crew and their indigenous friends come and perform at our pop up shop on the final evening at the gallery.
Very grateful to New Zealand musicians Andrew White, Paddy Free of Pitch Black and Jerome Kavanagh for performing live in the gallery on both evenings at our pop up shop.
With my Navajo friend Precious at Ny Adorned after tattooing her.
Resin jewelry by Evelyn Ross that was part of the capsule collection I took to New York.
Hanging outside Ora Ny Gallery with New Zealand Photographer Nichola Clark and friend.
Moko completed for a Taranaki born client at Ny Adorned.
Dressed up and ready to roll out for one of my first nights in New York City!
With all of the amazing dancers that graced the exhibition space on the final evening of our pop up shop exhibition.
Kirituhi completed for an African-American woman at Ny Adorned.
The performance that my partner was invited to be a part of at The Lincoln Center was pretty awe inspiring!
I buzzed out on how many psychic shops were in NYC - they seemed to be as common as dairies are in New Zealand!
Taaniko work by Kui Topia that was part of the Toi Wāhine Collective pop up shop.
With New York based Māori gallerist John Royal and his daughter.
Kirituhi for my new friend Grace from Trinidad and Tobago at Ny Adorned.
Tattooing an American born Māori man at NY Adorned.
With new friends Keke and Giarna Te Kanawa, gallerist of Ora Ny Gallery.
Kirituhi at Ny Adorned for a Columbian woman.
Being a poser in the back of a New York yellow cab.
At Ora Ny Gallery.
With a Hawaiian Māoli woman that I met at the gallery, it was so great meeting so many Polynesians from all over in New York.
Outside Ny Adorned.
At the after party of The Lincoln Center performance, 'Calling All Dawns'.
With my new friends Tiff and Sammay at Ora Ny Gallery.
So awesome getting to meet indigenous First Nations performer, Supaman at The Shrine in Harlem.
A projected image of contemporary Māori jeweler, Keri-Mei Zagrobelna on the wall of Ora Ny Gallery as part of a moving portraits film installation by Pikihuia Haenga that was part of our pop up shop exhibition.
My New York family on the trip.
Partay time at the gallery once all the work was finished.
Posey posers.
With new friends Amy and Cristina at the gallery.
A selection of the capsule collection by Toi Wāhine Collective at Ora Ny Gallery.
With my new friend Sammay, Filipino dancer.
Moko completed for an American born Māori man at Ny Adorned.
Traveling on the ferry with my trusty sidekick and partner, Jerome.
I enjoy traveling to Nelson at least once a year to work on my awesome clientele there. I have heaps of whanau in Nelson and it is always great to catch up with them when I am in the area.
I always seem to be given some kind of kaimoana when I am down south and for that I am very grateful!
Eating out is one of the thrills of life for me and so far my favorite restaurant in Nelson is Cod and Lobster and I totally recommend them over anywhere in Nelson that I have tried thus far!
This was my favorite song of the trip.
Here are a few photos of my most recent trip to Nelson 27th - 29th December 2015.
I am stoked to be tattooing at the Conscious Roots Festival due to be held at Hongoeka Marae, Plimmerton on 28th-29th November 2015.
From the Conscious Roots Festival website:
"A generation ago, whānau shared kai as a means of connection and empowerment, threading lives, whakapapa and community together through the exchange of food, traditional practice and stories.
In this day and age, much of the old ways have been replaced with convenience, entertainment and consumerism. But things are changing..
On the fringes of our communities, there are small groups of whānau who are practicing the ways of their tipuna. They are replanting the seeds of traditional practice, sustainability, hauora and self determination.
The Conscious Roots Festival brings gardeners, healers, whānau and kaumātua together to celebrate and strengthen our connection to Papatuanuku and each other. There will be music, stories, creativity, film, workshops, dance, rongoā, karetao, mirimiri, fire, hangi, and laughter in the spirit of community."
Come on down and check it out!
Sian Montgomery-Neutze, Rangimarie Sophie Jolley, Taryn Beri, Miriama Grace-Smith, Xoe Hall, and Pikihuia Haenga-Carkeek at our first wānanga together in preparation for the exhibition. Our jewellery artist Keri-Mei Zagrobelna was in Europe when we took this photo but she will be back in December in time for our exhibition opening!
Due to open on 2nd December in Hartham Place, Porirua, this exhibition is set to be a diverse, unpredictable and exciting mix of seven young Māori female artists. Included in Toi Wāhine 2015 are female painters, moko artists, a writer, a jewellery designer and a film maker, all with some kind of affiliation to and affection for Porirua City.
The idea was born from seeing a call for proposals that was put out by Letting Space's service Urban Dream Brokerage, a radical and conscious organisation that makes use of empty and vacant shop spaces, transforming them for a short time into living, breathing, useful community based spaces.
Our exhibition will open on Wednesday 2nd December and run through till Tuesday 22nd December (please mark it in your calendars). Located under the canopies in Porirua by where childrens clothing store 'TnT' used to be! Details of the official opening event are still to come, so if you are interested then please stay posted (join my mailing list).
An exciting programme of events is currently being developed by our group, with each individual artist running a workshop for the public to come along and participate in, learn, share and contribute. Live tā moko will also be happening in the exhibition space throughout the three week period, including moko kauae.
Contributing artists in Toi Wāhine 2015 are:
Xoe Hall (muralist, glitterist and painter)
Sian Montgomery-Neutze (multimedia artist, painter and moko artist)
Miriama Grace-Smith (multimedia artist and fashion designer)
Keri-Mei Zagrobelna (jewellery artist)
Rangimarie Sophie Jolley (writer)
Taryn Beri (multimedia artist, painter and moko artist)
Pikihuia Haenga-Carkeek (experimental film maker)
So far our group has had two wānanga, sharing ideas and making art together, with more wānanga scheduled to come in the lead up to the opening of the exhibition.
Sian Montgomery-Neutze at our first wānanga toi.
Miriama Grace-Smith at our first wānanga toi.
Rangimarie Sophie Jolley at our first wānanga toi.
Xoe Hall at our first wānanga toi.
We will have interactive installations, paintings and prints for sale, community workshops, live tā moko happening onsite and lots of other fun and awesome things happening over the three weeks - more details to come.
I hope you can make it along to check it out, participate and support the kaupapa!
Mauriora,
Taryn Beri
With my first client for the trip.
My recent trip to Melbourne was fantastic and I enjoyed catching up with old and new clients and friends. Thank you to everyone that came to see me and made my trip so much fun! I love the Fitzroy area and had a great time tattooing at Tatt Datt on Johnston Street.
Here are a few of my favourite places and spaces to visit in Melbourne:
Morrocan Soup Bar on St Georges Road (I recommend ordering the banquet): Best kai EVER!
Polly's Cocktail Bar on Brunswick Street: Best absinthe, cocktails, decor, and service EVER!
National Gallery of Victoria: Just go there and see for yourself.
St Kilda Sea Baths: Salt water pool, hot pool and an excellent steam room, oh yes.
North Yoga: My new fav yoga studio in North Fitzroy, worth a visit if you're into yoga.
Perfect Potion on Brunswick Street: The most divine oils, herbal potions, skincare, chakra balancing balm, aromatic mists and the like. Gorgeous.
Whilst in Melbourne I got to go check out an awesome cultural documentary called 'Escape to St Croix' about Rastafarianism and reggae culture in St Croix of the Virgin Islands. If you're into reggae, permaculture, sustainable living, rasta culture, gardening, vegetarianism - I totes recommend you watch this documentary.
Without further adieu, here are some flicks of my trip.
Ngā mihi,
Taryn
This was one of my favourite pieces of the trip, I always love working on thighs.
Kirituhi for a very nice man on his calf.
Working shot taken by my friend and client, photographer Aaron Stevenson.
Outside the studio. I really enjoyed working here. Big thanks to my host!
With an awesome client in the studio.
Working on this calf piece.
Being a poser outside the studio.
I worked on my cousin Hepa's moko peha at Mahara Gallery for the exhibition opening weekend. On the wall behind us is my latest painting, 'Te Āhuru Mōwai'.
Last weekend I attended the opening of 'He Toi Reikorangi: Te Ātiawa artists celebrate Matariki' at Mahara Gallery in Waikanae, on the Kapiti Coast of the Wellington region (New Zealand). It was super exciting and hundrends of people showed up to celebrate and show their support for the exhibition, including some of the best Māori artists in the world. For the duration of the opening weekend, Mahara Gallery invited myself, Rangi Kipa and Mitchell Hughes to showcase our tā moko expertise.
The fact that this exhibition opening was in Waikanae was personally significant to me, because my grandmother spent a lot of her life growing up in Waikanae, and her grandfather Wi Parata was a well known leader of the area and one of the biggest landowners - in fact Waikanae was once known as 'Parata Town'.
Iwi exhibitions are one of my favorite types of exhibitions because they reinforce and strengthen the whakapapa/genealogical bonds between the artists and the people of the iwi they belong to. Iwi exhibitions are a positive and uplifting community kaupapa that bring people together, showcasing the artistic excellence and skills amongst that particular tribe - I think that in itself, is an inspiring and empowering outcome.
A section of the moko peha that I worked on at Mahara Gallery during the exhibition opening weekend.
My eight year old apprentice, Ria Te Uira, stretching skin at Mahara Gallery.
My niece Ria Te Uira is a great little apprentice.
One of the reasons that I love to bring tā moko into art galleries is that it exposes and opens up the art form and cultural practice, to an entirely different audience, an audience that may not ever have the chance to see tā moko happening in real life, in any other situation. The potential for engagement with the public is great in an art gallery setting, and I enjoy answering the many and varied questions that people come up with. Having tā moko artists working in an art gallery space is magnetic, cutting edge, and a rare opportunity for gallery viewers to witness the tā moko process.
Another reason that I enjoy bringing tā moko into art gallery (and museum) settings is because I believe that all of our Māori art forms are inter-related and connected. Our various different art forms are at their strongest when put together and combined, contrasted against each other, complimenting one another, feeding into, informing and in conversation with one another. A decorated wharenui is a prime example of this, as is kapa haka where you see many of our art forms in relationship together at once.
The idea of inter-related art forms is part of the reason why I love collaborating and working alongside other artists, that use different mediums to me. It is also why I am currently enjoying the use of taonga puoro by Jerome Kavanagh, to compliment my tā moko process.
Tohunga tā moko, Rangi Kipa was also tattooing at Mahara Gallery for the exhibition opening weekend, as was moko artist Mitchell Hughes.
An outstanding modern work by master artist, Rangi Kipa.
Inspiring tukutuku work in the exhibition by my whanaunga, expert weaver Kohai Grace.
Photographic portraits in the exhibition featuring Te Ātiawa women and their moko kauae, by Heloise Bergman.
Whakairo in the exhibition by my whanaunga, Rakairoa Hori.
Painting in the exhibition by one of my favorite contemporary Māori painters, Darcy Nicholas.
Outstanding hue by expert weaver, Veranoa Hetet.
I love this work by Tracey Morgan using seaweed and tāniko.
I have two prints on show in the exhibition, 'Manu Ariki' and 'Hine Ariki'. The kete shown in the foreground are by Snooks Forster.
My painting 'Te Āhuru Mōwai' currently at Mahara Gallery. This painting refers to a 'cosy haven' inside the womb of a woman, the home of a baby growing, the amniotic fluid and the dna / ancestral material that makes up the baby and who the baby is / will become.
The photos of art work shown in this article are just a snapshot of the full exhibition and there are many more awesome and innovative works on show until 12th July 2015, so go and see for yourself!
I recently spent about a week tattooing in Taihape at Winiata Marae. In general I mostly prefer to stay within my own rohe, and work within areas that I have some whakapapa link or affiliation to (except when I am overseas) - that's just how I prefer to roll whenever possible. However since my partner invited me to work in his rohe at his marae, I was more than happy to pack up my gear and head to Taihape. Furthermore, marae are one of my absolute favorite places to work, along with galleries and museums, so I jumped at the chance to work inside the whare there. As it happened, I did discover a link between my extended whānau and the whānau at Winiata Marae.
It was snowing and really freezing cold the week that we were there, as you can tell by my attire! It's hard to stay fashionable when you are so cold!
Whilst in Taihape I had the pleasure and privilege of tattooing a moko kauae for a local kuia. For me, moko kauae is the epitome of my tā moko practice and it is my favorite type of moko to do. Moko kauae has always been a strong motivating force for me and a large part of why I got into, and have stuck at tā moko. I want to see more and more wāhine Māori take on and wear their moko kauae with pride, strength and dignity - particularly within my own whānau, hapū and iwi.
Some friends of mine at Kikorua Films came and stayed with us for part of our trip and made a little film clip and took some photos. I think they did a great job of capturing the essence of the environment we were working in, and the mahi that we did there.
Moko kauae is a very special and important kaupapa. If you would like to talk me about getting your own moko kauae done, please email me on taryn.teuira@gmail.com.
Thanks for reading!
I am thrilled to be a part of this kaupapa alongside some of my favorite Māori artists. Come along to the exhibition opening this Friday at 4pm, Mahara Gallery. Hope to see you there!
Mauriora,
Taryn
Moko peha by Julie Paama-Pengelly, photographed by Norm Heke of Te Papa Tongarewa National Museum of New Zealand.
I was inspired to create this new interview series speaking to different moko artists from different backgrounds, of all ages, from all around the motu, because I was interested and curious to know what other artists and cultural practitioners had to say about certain matters. I also wanted to provide a platform, a forum and a space for their voices to be heard, their stories to be told, and their lessons to be taught - on an international, easily accessible scale (i.e. the internet). Too often I see people overseas speaking for us, over the top of us and on matters that concern us and our culture, and I think it's time for more Māori to speak up for ourselves on an international scale.
Following the huge response to my article about the difference between kirituhi and moko, I became more acutely aware of the many and varied different opinions, perspectives and points of view out there regarding tā moko, and I wanted to know more about what other moko artists had to say.
I always enjoy hearing the personal story behind the journey of an artist and their work, learning about the ups and downs that make a career in the arts - and I thought my readers might also be interested in this. I hope that these interviews will educate, inspire and enlighten.
The first interview in this interview series, is with Julie Paama-Pengelly, a woman who in my view has been one of the pioneering female moko artists of Aotearoa, in modern times. Before I became involved with tā moko and I was working as a Māori Fashion Designer in my own business, and as a Māori Graphic Design Associate (for a Māori Mental Health Organisation) in Wellington (around 2007), the only female moko artists I had heard of back then, were Julie Paama-Pengelly and Christine Harvey. That's not to say that there weren't others out there, it's just that I was not aware of them at that time. Nowadays, there are around 10-15 Māori female moko artists that I know of (I hope to interview more of them in this series) and no doubt more and more sprouting up every day - I think it is great for the art form and for our people to have a wide range of artists, personalities and styles to choose from and I find it really inspiring and interesting seeing what other artists are doing and where they are taking their own individual tā moko practices.
With no further ado, here is the interview and Julie Paama-Pengelly's answers to my questions! The views and opinions expressed in all of the interviews in this series, belong to the person being interviewed (obviously) and are not necessarily the same as mine (the interviewer) but hey that's what makes it interesting food for thought!
Moko peha by Julie Paama-Pengelly, photographed by Norm Heke of Te Papa Tongarewa National Museum of New Zealand.
A note to the reader by Julie Paama-Pengelly:
My views are only possibly mine alone and they are ONE perspective that is in a constant state of change and revision. The important thing for me is that I am prepared (and this includes knowing what I don’t know!) to modify the way I think and feel about our culture as it evolves and either reclaims health or looses its footing because as with anything, it is in a constant state of change. I think it is dangerous to claim there to be one way for Māori to behave or be as this may exclude other Māori. It is however important, when involved with tā moko to challenge the integrity of someone to receive moko from you as in the end it is both your integrity and that of the art form that stands to be compromised.
How did you get into tā moko?
I trained as a secondary teacher in 1991 and was inspired by Robert Jahnke and Derek Lardelli at a Māori Art teachers wananga that I attended. I went on teaching section to Gisborne and witnessed Derek Lardelli applying pūhoro to Piri Sciascia and this led me to study Robert Jahnkes art papers extramurally (off-campus) while I taught art to Māori students at Lytton High School for two years.
Who mentored you, if anyone?
Kura Te Waru Rewiri, Shane Cotton and Robert Jahnke in principles of Māori Design. Kura Te Waru Rewiri – Mana Wahine! Most people attribute my mentorship in tā moko to Rangi Kipa however I already had my design knowledge and Rangi and I started our formal moko learning at the same time – most knowledge I gained on my own and by osmosis – watching a variety of artists work and working it out myself – practice practice. The advantage of doing it this way is that I freely explored a range of influences.
Did you have any formal education that helped you on your journey and if so please tell us about it?
Degree in Social Sciences (Anthropology) which gave me the historical foundation of searching for cultural clues amongst our old objects and social behaviours and helped me to understand our cultural history through an understanding of everyday life which art made sense of. Te Reo Māori was part of this.
Diploma in Secondary Teaching – Art, which had a strong Māori arts focus at the time that I undertook my studies and I had heaps of exposure to Māori Art and Design on this programme through teacher in-service trainings and the resources available at schools.
Masters in Third World Development – enriched the connections between Pacific Cultures Art and Design practices and the importance of these to Māori development.
Ataarangi – powerful medium for learning the reo and through the reo accessing our world of knowledge
Bachelor of Māori Visual Arts (Honours) – amazing teachers, huge focus on research, read every book and studied every Māori artist as well as every single object in every museum. This programme taught me the power of research and exploration of my own artistic expression.
Masters of Māori Visual Arts (Honours) – expanded all of the above in a powerful way and brought all my learnings together.
Moko kauae by Julie Paama-Pengelly.
How long have you been doing moko for?
For at least twenty years but probably more as each year now I forget to count. For a great deal of this however I was teaching, raising a family, studying, engaged in health promotion and working on committees – I didn’t have the luxury of simply being a moko artist.
What/who inspired you to be a moko artist?
I guess the one person would be Derek Lardelli as it was my experiences around Derek that made me resolute to be involved with moko - but I was hugely influenced by a range of artists, and their experiences, for example Ralph Hotere has been influential.
Why do you choose to be a moko artist? What is the best thing to you about being a moko artist?
All my learnings have been about enriching Māori cultural health and at the same time art practice and it became obvious to me right from the moment that I saw Piri receiving his moko from Derek, that powerful role models wearing this taonga could have a commanding influence on the mana of Māori people and things and be an agent for instilling our people with their world again. I always believed in transformative change and wanted to spend my life doing something meaningful. When I finished University I wanted to volunteer in the Third World, to help the poor, then I realized that the important messages from my journey was that Māori were deprived in so may ways and cultural loss was at its heart. Doing tā moko felt like a way that I could work on this while still learning from within my own culture and do what I had always loved – art.
What artists do you look up to/admire? Why? Who are your role models when it comes to tā moko? Why?
Ralph Hotere – for his understandings of Te Kore, Te Pō and Te Ao Mārama in there most powerful realisations and his understanding of simplicity of balance of form and space. For the heart he brings to his work.
Kura Te Waru Rewiri – for her mana wahine principles and her formal skills in design and form and her absolute humility, beauty and talent while often overlooked in the art world in favour of male artists.
Shane Cotton – for his approach to new visual language and absolute skill at bringing beauty to paint and to contemporary Māori painting.
Robert Jahnke – for his contribution to research and his discipline in finding every bit of knowledge. For his emphasis on excellence.
Derek Lardelli - for his passion for mātauranga a moko and driving this through Toihoukura, which helped the art of tā moko grow with the knowledge to support it.
Rangi Kipa – for a solid language of carving and a willingness to create new modern Māori design languages and for his belief in a good line and integrity of design first.
I am largely impressed by much of the work being done by moko artists throughout the motu – there is so much talent and variety. I tend towards the feminine aesthetic which I believe there is a distinction and some of the large male designs are not so appealing.
Describe your ideal client for us?
Well this depends I guess on what type of moko however, readiness to cope with the pain is important and also being prepared to entrust the moko artist with their kaupapa. I exhibit a lot of patience with a client and am willing to spend time with them but I feel disrespected if they don’t put time into their preparation and give equally to the relationship. My ideal client is NOT one that brings a design drawn by someone else! But I do have a great enjoyment of coverups because making a difference is often rewarding. In some ways I don’t have an ideal as I feel part of my responsibility is to be able to collaborate with everyone and enjoy the people that we are – life is about people and they have the biggest lessons.
Julie Paama-Pengelly tattooing, photographed by Norm Heke of Te Papa Tongarewa National Museum of New Zealand.
What do you want to do more of in your moko practice?
Explore advanced kōwhaiwhai and alternative design languages, some of our more complex designs. I like working every piece as extremely different as possible and I try to beat the recognition of each piece being associated with me. I like experimenting but I am really rigid with my positive and negative balance and I try not to compromise this but look for new ways in which to enhance the form of the body. More exploration of old practices, old pattern making and old techniques.
What do you want to do less of in your moko practice?
Shading is less appealing to me if it is associated with figures, such as carved figures as for me it starts to look like drawing instead of moko. The simple balance of positive and negative should remain as uninterrupted as possible. I am less keen on colour but when I do use it, I try to experiment as well. I prefer the blacks of our tradition.
What are the most important qualities for a moko artist to have, in your eyes?
Absolute integrity in their relationship with clients – this can't be stressed enough and to have humility – I detest a rock-star mentality and believe that to do tā moko is to serve, not to impose arrogance onto people. To be continually learning and evolving and to respect the art form by being in good mental and physical health. As a female artist you need to have a certain boldness to move ahead even when you are challenged and hurt by men, and other women. This is the only way I survived in the past because often the hits would come from both sides – we as Māori can be very destructive of each other. To not belittle the achievements of fellow female tā moko artists as they have had their own battles and in the end your work will speak for you – you are expected to keep working hard at it!! I believe in sisterhood and respecting this, wāhine should not seek to undermine each other in anything, especially for the attentions of men as this just takes us from where the real battles lie.
What are you goals, dreams and aspirations for your moko practice over the next ten years?
Ha! That I can still see and my hands still move!! To be doing at least the same level of tā moko work that I am doing now but I would like to have more time to spend painting! To celebrate everything that it has become through the work of others and to share what I know. In the beginning there was a great deal of male energy invested in tā moko and this had an impact on the type of moko that wāhine sought as they were often the humble ones deferring to their whānau. Often Māori men would make decisions with regards to what moko merited attention and what didn't. My personal goals for moko are not so much what I want but what I feel a responsibility to as a person that is exposed to the widest range of perceptions around tā moko and also with some view to the secret shames and pains that clients share with me. For these reasons I support the imperative that the kaitā wāhine have all expressed, that the moko kauae requires our urgent attention so that we may bring forth and support the mana and wellbeing of our wāhine. I would feel satisfied if, in ten years, we see moko kauae as the norm rather than the exception.
What advice would you give to any aspiring moko artists out there?
Do not be lazy – you must keep learning and absolutely, understand and be able to draw the major design principles – be disciplined, practice hard and DO NOT tattoo skin if you do not have these understandings and skills. Seek an apprenticeship or learning institution and be the very best student that you can be. Be prepared to sacrifice to be the best and respect that your teacher has likely invested a great deal of their life putting in work to get to this point – respect them (even if they have flaws) at all times as you will expect clients to respect you. The first lesson – all tā moko is about respect.
Do not ‘steal’ other cultural art forms because you can't be bothered doing your homework on our own. Māori art is unique and extremely complex and I think that currently artists are only utilizing around 10% of our actual kōwhaiwhai language – we need to keep bringing our own knowledge to the fore and not replicating others (unless of course we are establishing our whakapapa relationships to old art languages).
Importantly – clean up your act. Be a good role model for the respect that you expect – smoking, drinking, drugs – should not compromise your client practices and personal hygiene is important as are good manners and language!
What other art mediums do you practice, if any? What do you love about the other art forms that you practice? How do they relate to your moko work?
Graphic design (computer assisted) and drawing usually using my Māori design skills – it's great as usually it's giving a Māori identity to something that can have a widespread audience as a powerful identity.
Curatorial (exhibition design) based on my knowledge of contemporary Māori and Pacific Art – I love creating Māori meaning in space and allowing our creative voices to have expression to the world. Supporting other artists is important to me.
Printmaking – I love playing with Māori design and old imagery to reimagine a powerful modern Māori identity – turning historical images into positive Māori identity.
Painting – my favourite medium as I paint in abstract. This is emotional to me, my relationship with paint and its expression but I also use painting to engage discussion about the issues and adaptations our culture is continually being forced to confront.
The artist Julie Paama-Pengelly, photographed by Logan Davey.
Have you worked overseas much? If so, where? What are the best things to you about working overseas? What are the worst things to you about working overseas?
Yes, I have enjoyed a tā moko residency in Santa Fe and with fellow indigenous tattoo artists. I haven’t really enjoyed conventions unless there is indigenous support there. I enjoy residencies as they usually enable a more cultural context, speaking and interacting with other communities and cultures. The BEST thing about international travel is sharing the tatau revival with other indigenous communities and feeling humbled by their own stories. I miss home and my kids and I don’t like to travel without them, they are my rock.
Do you prefer to work privately or in tattoo studios? Why/explain?
I have enjoyed working on marae and traveling a lot with moko in the past however through the years with a family I have learned that it is healthier to separate family and work – my kids deserve my attention and they require more attention to their own interests as they get older. I love travelling to marae and personal homes and tā moko has taken me all over the country. This however can be incredibly tiring, lack of sleep, often a lot of gear preparation and bad lighting etc – and too much good food! I never thought I would enjoy working from a studio but I do as I can separate my professional space and have privacy when I wish. It also encourages the clients to treat me in a more professional manner and allows me to rest and control the work environment in fact it is crucial that the artist can put their comfort first to ensure the best artistic result.
How do you feel about non-Māori tattooers, incorporating Māori design and patterns into their art or tattoo work? Do you approve/disapprove? Why/explain?
I’m really not fond of how Polynesian artists are using a large kōwhaiwhai element to break up areas of pattern in their work – it is usually not harmonious, nor correct and to me it doesn’t work with their geometric languages. There are a small handful of artists that are doing a better job of it but I don’t think it adds to the integrity of their own art forms. I think they should spend time exploring new pattern languages and compositions without using Māori design. Essentially without having to waffle on, I disapprove as it generally doesn’t add anything to our art form and often reinforces less-flattering design.
Do you tattoo non-Māori people and if so, why/why not? Do you differentiate between what you do for non-Māori clients compared to what you do for Māori clients? If so, how do you differentiate and what is the difference, if any, in your eyes, between the two?
In the early days, I refused to tattoo Pākehā unless they had an intimate connection with Māori through family etc. this was because I felt that Māori had to see their art form in a healthy place before non-Māori could be seen to ‘steal’ this. However, today, and operating out of a studio, I am willing to tattoo non-Māori. It is always constituted from my tā moko vocabulary but the form and detail knowledge may be missing – it may be small elements of design in a fern or spiral etc if it is something for say, a tourist. Why? Because there is great power in ensuring non-Māori come along for the journey and are educated so they don’t go to a non-Māori and ask for our art. If it comes from me, it's moko and I give clients the same respect. For Pākehā that are more involved with respect for our things, I will give more substantial moko. My role is to progress our art form and not belittle it or the people that I apply it to. I see applying moko on non-Māori as a powerful tool towards our cause – we can ensure people have a bigger Māori heart and work for our us – we can't advance without friends and our whakapapa extends beyond ourselves, just as our world now extends beyond our initial beliefs and limitations.
Do you use/support the term ‘kirituhi’? If so, why? If not, why?
No, for me moko is moko, the language lies with the artist and if I apply it to anyone, its moko. If its applied by non-Māori its not moko but an appropriation of it. I think labeling it as kirituhi is a little degrading to the wearer and also to you as an artist. I mean we put our design on T Shirts – its really down to the mana of any wearer to wear something well, Māori or Pākehā and as an artist, you are applying the best version of moko no matter the kaupapa.
What do you find challenging about being a moko artist? Have you had any challenges on your path as a moko artist? What were they and how did you overcome them?
Plenty – it’s all a challenge, everyday. These are okay as long as you don’t lose faith in your ability to overcome them. Religious views and colonized ideas, while I respect people and their rights to these views, they limit our ability to see the threats to our culture. At times they swallowed me however, surrounding yourself with a few good friends that absolutely support you and supporting others will help you move through. Realize that people that want to hold you back or put you down are power tripping, protecting or hiding something themselves.
What do you want to contribute to the art form in you career as a moko artist?
Shit, I don’t know how to answer that one …? Sometimes things just sort of come to you as what you want to do, not because you think of it yourself either, someone else tells you that you should do it. That’s why I’m doing a book project, because I got blocked from one once for defending the rights of my client and also because I think we spend too much time trying to define what ‘authentic moko’ or anything else looks like.
I want to offer my perspective, not because I am an authority but because I realize that I have history to bring to this perspective, one in which moko was rare and being rebirthed – to where we are today, a hugely persuasive art form, internationally. I want to re-establish the importance of the individual artist – even historically – in the creative process – we were never passive inheritors of design, but always artists.
To connect with Julie online, go here.
