Maori woman by Ngaronoa Mereana Taki
Every Moko, contain ancestral/tribal messages that pertain to the wearer. These messages narrate a wearer's family, sub-tribal and tribal affiliations and their placing within these social structures. In terms of the wearer's "placing", a message would basically contain the wearers "value" by way of their genealogy, perhaps their knowledge or expertise and their participation within each social level.
Inherit or Credit
There is a main thread in Moko that details whether a person received status based upon purity of blood lines or quality of participation. This is either by virtue of inheritance or accreditation. For example; An ariki (chief) is an ariki, solely by virtue of aristocratic genealogy. This title is his/her birthright and cannot be removed from them.
However, a rangatira (tribal leader) is made such by either the whānau, hapū or iwi, through the quality of their personal participation. The position is accredited so could be removed by the power of the whānau, hapū and iwi, or ariki. These markings of birthright or qualification are prominent throughout moko.
Genealogy
Many Māori were born into and lived within the hapū "small group/village" structure. The genealogical markings made broadcasts of that fact. This particular information was more important to these specific levels alone, and only relevant to any higher groups like Iwi, if the genealogical lines warranted such attention.
So, in terms of participation, if a wearer, was to bear some authority over any such hapū matters, the markings would symbolize whether this was through bloodlines or through qualification. This was fundamental in the conceptual and practical rituals of encounter. As it is still recognised, the utmost respect was afforded to those with senior birthrights and so forth beneath them, so any diversion from that was regarded as insult and could easily end in fatalities or worse yet, generations of unresolved feuding.
http://awanderingminstreli.tripod.co/
from Ngaronoa Mereana Taki, Maori teacher, healer
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