Traditional Maori penis tattoo.

[Sergeant_Torpedo]

Who would have thunk it! So many material culture scientists and anthropologists at LPSG.

 

[D_Jimmy Jammer]

I never claimed any knowledge that they tattooed their genitals, nor even suggested that they did. I think it's entirely possible, and it wouldn't surprise me in the least, but it is unknowable.

This is the only info on actual penis tattooing (not penis tattooing) on carvings) that I can find;

Some unusual forms of tattoo occurred in the South Island, but, unfortunately, intelligent and interested observers were lacking in that district, and so no ethnographical data were there collected. Colenso was of the opinion that the curious face designs illustrated by Parkinson represented a southern practice. He himself had seen a few persons so tattooed, but does not tell us in what district he saw them. Tattooing on the tongue, practised by the Hawaiians, does not seem to have been favoured here, though an east coast tradition makes some reference to it. Men occasionally had the penis tattooed; among women the tara whakairo was rare.

The Maori As He Was: A Brief Account of Maori Life as it was in Pre-European Days - Personal Adornment
Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand, 2008

 

[maxcok]

breaking the rules?
Who dear?
Me dear?
No dear.

Sorry if you thought i was being nasty maxxy, truly, i was just winding you up and knew you would take the bait.

So you're purposely baiting me, winding me up, and being nasty just for the hell of it? That's not very nice.
I think it's kind of frowned on here actually.

I enjoy your posts, you are clearly one of the most intelligent members here and keep the discussions lively. However your latest theory about me and someone else being the same is as preposterous as some other things you have said. If i get banned it will not be for this.

hmmm . . . see comment above. So, I'm intelligent but preposterous. Gee thanks, LOL.

My objection to you is that you did wade in boots and all saying it was possible. And of course you are right, anything is possible. But it does not make sense that, within an oral culture, something that was important was not passed down through the generations when everything else was.
Simple as that.

And you know for a fact from your extensive study of the Maori that absolutely every other detail of their history has been passed down through oral tradition, and nothing has been altered or lost along the way, right? Do you have any idea how small minded and ridiculously dogmatic that is? No, it is not that simple. Not to mention that your credibility on this subject has been shot to shit.

Anyway i apologise to everyone else for boring them and having to repeat myself

....

 

[maxcok]

This is the only info on actual penis tattooing (not penis tattooing) on carvings) that I can find;

The Maori As He Was: A Brief Account of Maori Life as it was in Pre-European Days - Personal Adornment
Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand, 2008

That's very interesting, Nyne. So there's at least one firsthand account of penis tatooing. Hmm . . .
I though this part of your quote was particularly apt:

"Some unusual forms of tattoo occurred in the South Island, but, unfortunately, intelligent and interested observers were lacking in that district, and so no ethnographical data were there collected."

Emphasis added. I think it can not be overlooked either that Europeans, and the English in particular moving into the Victorian age, were squeamish about naked 'savages', male genitalia, and sex in general. One only has to observe the destructive vandalism they wreaked on depictions of phalluses in wall paintings, carvings, statuary and other relics throughout Egypt, Greece and the Roman empire. It would not be at all surprising if they failed to record the tattooed cocks of primitive peoples in their field notes.

 

[MrE]

the honor of being able to get one would be sweet, but i dont know if i could ever get my dick tattooed

 

[Howard1122]

The second one certainly uses Polynesian motifs in the design - but whether they are applied in a traditional location may be slightly more doubtful - for example, I'm not certain that circumcision was widespread - if this were the case, it is probably unlikely that there would have been tattooing of the glans, since the markings were genrally intended to have some significance to those who saw them (in Samoa I believe that at puberty the underside of the foreskin was cut, but the foreskin remained).

Logan McCree's tattoos incorporate the Polynesian circular design on his body. The lines on his penis are, however, not consistent. His tattoo is without a doubt a beautiful work of art. Maori were not circumcised: this is a break with the tradition of Samoa and Tonga.The overhang of the foreskin was kept tied with a piece of string. Maori had a very narrow definition of male nudity and was the exposure of the head of the penis.

The book "Mau moko" has this to say about gential tattooing: Genitial marking occurred on both sexes, thought there are more recorded sources, both Maori and ethnographic, concerning women's genital moko....(details of ther two female tattoos). Anecdotal comment in today's Maori world suggests that modern males have such markings as well, like their forefathers. The authors reference a letter written in 1914 by Elsdon Best to Horiato Robley, also an ethnographer "By the way old Tuta Nihoniho....(details of Nihoniho's military service).. tells me that among the Ngati Porou tribe [east coast North Island] a man's ure was occassionally tattooed." Elson Best goes to to mention that a man's tongue was also occassionally blackened by tattooing for effect in battle. The book "Mau moko" (2007) is considered most authoritive and was written by Maori about themselves. The modern picture posted shows a traditional penis tattoo. It is inconceivable that the artist would not depict an ancestral figure in a way that was not traditional. That is to say there is no room for interpretation.

 

[bendigoboi]

Who would have thunk it! So many material culture scientists and anthropologists at LPSG.

And we should value the contribution that we are all making to the knowledge of mankind - when people in future seek information and Google "maori penis tattoo" they will get this thread!:frown1:

 

[bendigoboi]

Lot's of historical information about tattooing:

Tattoo Archive Home Page

 

[KB14_legend]

I am jut wondering, if Maori males are circumcised?

 

[manplay]

I highly doubt it but I'm sure there are some out there that are circ.............

 

[buffbaldy]

I have penis tattoos but mine are Celtic in design, check out my gallary

 

[Kenyth]

Interesting thread. Not sure if it's true, but as Tāngata whenua o Aotearoa (Māori), I have heard of the so called Tā moko o te ure (Penis tattoo) from my kaumatua (elders) through the passing of Kōrero o Nehera (Stories of Old), but simply I treat it as Kōrero pūrākau (Oral Legends & Myths)

In the old days, Māori men are uncircumcised, like what the OP said, they usually tied their foreskin so that the glad won't show as it is sacred. Apparently they keep their erection in battle or during tattooing by the use of a cock ring / strap which stops blood supply from returning back to the body.

Interesting huh?

 

[RawDog]

Very interesting, Kenyth!

If I may ask; How common are the facial tattoos nowadays within the Maori community? I've always been curious about the definitions of certain symbols within the art. Any websites out there you can recommend explaining the symbols and their meanings?

 

[Kenyth]

I would say relatively common in comparison to what you see on the streets in other countries. I have seen people in all walks of trade with a facial tattoo, people hardly blink an eye when they see someone with a facial tattoo, kinda normal. I've even seen a police will a full on face tattoo.

Don't know any websites as I'm not really into tattoos myself.

 

[RawDog]

Thanks for the response. Interesting cultural difference. What one country deems as socially unacceptable in a professional environment is totally normal in another.

 

[Kida LeBeau]

Like many indigenous Polynesian cultures - Maori did circumcise their adolescent men - it's just not done as much - if at all - now.
Genital Tattooing - especially on a female - NO. the art of moko was tapu, the act of doing so on a woman's genitals would have made it not so. As someone who is Maori, I haven't heard of anyone getting their ure done in moko, especially the glans. Traditional would mean it would take months to heal, perhaps longer

 

[barish]

http://news.bmezine.com/wp-content/uploads/200708070745-pix1.jpg
http://news.bmezine.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/polynesian-penis-2.jpg
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_MYcxTUQyVLw/StRIAaLrVBI/AAAAAAAABwk/kfBRX7AM20c/s1600/IMG_0667_2.JPG
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_MYcxTUQyVLw/StRH-b7hvMI/AAAAAAAABwE/9QNHeDAa-_c/s400/IMG_0663_2.JPG
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_MYcxTUQyVLw/StRIxJX-8jI/AAAAAAAABxs/w27JdyfEn88/s400/IMG_0679_2.JPG

I wish photos were uploaded here instead of links. It seems like none of them are available anymore :/