In Te Ao Māori, women are revered as te whare tāngata – the house of humanity – cherished for their role in the creation of life.
In the Māori world, before the ‘river of time’ when only Atua (Gods) existed, one of the female Atua, Hine-nui-te-pō was responsible for giving wāhine ‘Te Awa Atua’. Translated to ‘The Divine River,’ which is menstruation, a women’s period.
For women, the arrival of ‘waiwhero’ – the red waters – was a means for celebration. It marked not only a physical transition but also a spiritual one, accompanied by rituals, teachings, and blessings.
Gifts would be given, followed by a ceremonial cutting of hair, as well as an introduction to new arts, karakia and waiata. There would be a hākari, and whānau and hapū would share kai.
Among these blessings was the receipt of ‘moko kauae’, symbolising new beginnings and ancestral connections.
However, the passage of time, marked by colonisation, saw many of these sacred practices fade into obscurity. Māori culture and traditions were suppressed, leading to a disconnection from ancestral knowledge and identity.
Te Reo Māori, once the vibrant language of Aotearoa, was marginalised and suppressed in schools, with only a handful of private kura valiantly preserving the language.
By the 1980s, less than 20 percent of Māori could speak their native tongue, and even fewer utilised it within their households. Tāngata Māori found themselves increasingly alienated from Te Ao Māori and its cultural practices.
Despite these challenges, a cultural renaissance began to take root in the 1970s, as Māori leaders recognised the decline of Te Reo Māori. Rōpū emerged with a commitment to revitalising the language and tikanga.
Resurgence of tikanga Māori
Fast forward to 2024, a resurgence in the wearing of moko kauae reflects a growing movement among wāhine Māori to reclaim their Māoritanga and challenge the legacy of colonisation.
This reclamation finds expression in online communities like the ‘moko Kauae Aotearoa’ Facebook page, where over 15,000 people alike share their kōrero and journeys of cultural revitalisation.
Among them is Hera Hemoata Waipouri-Green (Sarah Barbara Green), a descendant of Te Aupōuri and Te Rarawa, who recently received her moko kauae after a three-year-long battle with breast cancer.
When wāhine speak about their moko kauae journey there tends to be a reoccurring kōrero… The sense of belonging that comes from receiving their marking and the feeling of immense pride and honour.
Hera agrees her moko kauae is the start of a new journey.