A comment on penis tatoos. In New Zealand Maori genital markings in the old days occurred in both sexes. More is recorded in Maori oral history and in the accounts of ethnographers of the genital moko of women, the ipu whakairo. These were made by women tattooists who pricked, rather than cut the skin into patterns around the vagina.
With males the penis was occasionally tattooed. This practice varied from tribe to tribe. In some areas it was restricted to chiefs, but on the East Coast of the North Island, amongst the Ngati Porou there was no chiefly restriction. Rather then there being lines tattooed on the penis, the penis as a whole was coloured black by tattooing. The method of tattooing can be assumed to be pricking.
Maori men received their first tattoo at puberty about 12. This was an indication of sexual maturity. Additions made reflected their social position, genealogy, and personal achievements. A warrior with a full tattoo was held in great regard. A warrior without a tattoo was not accorded the same respect. There are traditional designs on the penises of ancestral figures which suggests that a chief would have a tattoo on the shaft of his penis even though in practice there was no design as such. Other societies did tattoo the penis. According to Kramer (1903) the scrotum and penis of Samoan men was tattooed. In the Marshall Islands Spenneman (1998) reported that penis tattooes were very rare even at the end of the 19thC and implies they may have been restricted to chiefs there. Maori men wore their hair long and secured it up with a comb. Warriors were sometimes bearded : there seemed to be no rule about this. Paintings and sketches of war haka generally show men without beards, though written accounts sometimes indicate the reverse was followed. Pubic hair was not shaved. A penis tattoo was the last tatoo done. Tatooing involved a sacred ceremony attended by the tohunga in which karakia were recited and the ancestors called. Very little is written about the Maori chiefly penis tattoo. What there is alludes to the practice.
The penis was tattooed for effect. Maori warriors with a full body tattoo, with a blackened erection, and the blackened tongue would have made a great impact in the war haka. The same would have the case the case in war haka performed for the entertainment of the tribe.
In recent years there has been a resurgence of Maori tattooing. A reference in a recent book Mau moko does suggest that there are Maori males today with the traditional penis tattoo.
Overseas ethinic type tattoos have become very popular, especially the arm band. Penis tattoos are fashionable in some quarters. The only known example in the public domain of a penis tattooed in a way consistent with Maori patterns is that of Logan McCree, an American actor who stars in gay pornography movies. McCrees tattoo is made up of three lines on the shaft of the penis from the base but not including the head, being a continuation of three Maori like designs on the stomach area.
There has been some discussion on the internet concerning whether penis tattoos are put on an erect penis. Though a penis tattoo can go on a flaccid penis from the point of view of the tattooist a hard penis is much better to work on. The consensus of those with this type of marking is that they were erect at the time. From the way the penis tattoos on Logan McCree is exactly proportioned and straight on his erect penis is that the tattoo was done on an erection. This does imply that the penis tattoos of Maori were made on an erection. Some people have a difficult time maintaining their erection, but generally speaking the determination to remain erect outways the pain.
Penis tattoos are a very special tattoo as they underline male masculinity, that is are phallic and this sets them apart from tattoos in general. A variety of modern designs are followed. Regretably ethnic designs are unusual today. A key difference with today is that penis tattoos of the Maori in the past were uncovered in public. Logan McCree has the distinction of being the only example of someone in modern times who has a traditional looking Maori penis tattoo who makes no attempt to hide his identity. Howard.
