Originally the Maori tattoo was not decorative, it has particular and deep meanings. The Maori warriors were tattooed the body and the face and it was exactly to represent themself with the eyes of the enemy and the society. The tattoo was the reflection of their strength, their soul and their personal history. So by seeing a Maori and its tattoos, we could know his age, his social rank, etc. In brief, the tattoo contains everything on the personality of its carrier.
The face is the place where the information on the personality of each is shown. Generally the presence of the tattoo on all the face expresses an important social rank because every part of the face is dedicated to the story of the forefathers and the relatives. This tattoo is a conscript Moko. Ben Harper's tattoos extend over both arms, trunk and back. The singer decided to be tattooed in 2000. His decision rings then as an initiatory act or a revival especially since tattoos were made during a journey in New Zealand. It is Gordon Hatfield who realized tattoos on the back.
