Mokorua: Nga Korero mo Toku Moko Kauae – My Story of Moko Kauae

One woman’s journey to her moko kauae as an expression of her Kai Tahu identity.

Mokorua is a revealing and emotional account of one woman receiving her moko kauae.

Ariana Tikao grew up in suburban Christchurch in the 1970s and ’80s surrounded by te ao Pakeha. This book tells the story of Ariana exploring her whakapapa, her whanau history and her language. This is one woman’s story, but it is interwoven with the revival of language, tikanga and identity among Kai Tahu whanau over the last thirty years.

Ariana’s journey culminates in her decision to take on Mokorua – her moko kauae – from ta moko artist Christine Harvey. After an emotionally charged ceremony that brought together whanau, young and old, for songs and tautoko, hugs and tears, Ariana writes: ‘Our whanau had reached another milestone in the decolonisation process – or, rather, in our journey of reindigenising ourselves, becoming who we always were.’

Through Ariana’s words, te reo Maori text by her hoa tane Ross Calman, and an intimate, moving photo essay by Matt Calman, Mokorua reveals the journey of one woman reclaiming her Maori identity.

My moko has now surfaced from beneath my skin, and she, Mokorua, has revealed
herself in her green-lined goodness.

________

I ka ra o mua, I would know my place
in my tipuna’s time, I would know my face.

He korero whawhaki, he korero pukare a Mokorua mo tetahi wahine e whiwhi ana i tona moko kauae.

I tipu ake a Ariana Tikao i te taone o Otautahi i nga tau 1970 me 1980 e karapotia ana e te ao Pakeha. Kei tenei pukapuka nga korero mo Ariana e tuhura ana i tona whakapapa, i nga korero mo tona whanau, i tona reo ano hoki. He korero tenei mo te wahine kotahi, engari e papa ana nga korero ki te whakarauoratanga o te reo, nga tikanga me te tuakiri o nga whanau Kai Tahu i roto i nga tau e toru tekau kua hipa.

Ko te mutunga ake o tenei haerenga he whakataunga na Ariana kia tangia ia ki a Mokorua – tona moko kauae – e te tohunga ta moko, e Christine Harvey. Mo te tanga, he wa ka kitea te tino tokonga ake o nga kare a-roto, ka noho tahi te whanau, rangatahi mai, pakeke mai, ki te tautoko ma te waiata, ma te awhiawhi, me te roimata. Ki ta Ariana: ‘Kua eke to matou whanau ki tetahi taumata ano o te tukanga wetewete tamitanga – o to matou haerenga kia tu ano matou hei iwi taketake, hei tangata tuturu.’

Ma roto i nga kupu a Ariana, nga kupu reo Maori a tona hoa tane a Ross Calman, me nga whakaahua kauawhiawhi, pukare a Matt Calman, ka whakaatu a Mokorua i te haerenga o tetahi wahine kia riro ano i a ia tona tuakiri Maori.

Kua maiea toku moko mai i raro i toku kiri, kua whakakite ia, a Mokorua, i a ia ano
hei taonga i roto i ona kiokio kakariki.

Format: Hardback
Pages: 164
Imprint: Auckland University Press
Publication date: 10/11/2022
Illustrator: Calman, Matt (Photo Essay)