Maori Tattoos/Stu McDonald

glorified g

Hey folks. Back again looking for a bit of advice from the Boardsies!
In the next few months a friend who owns a Tattoo Shop is having a guest artist in. Stu Mcdonald is the guest artists name. Iv seen some of his pieces personally and they look fantastic.

I have heard that the "traditional" and "real" maori artists from Tribes have a certain way of tattooing. They sit you down, ask you questions about your life, stregths and weakness etc and then draw freehand onto the area you choose and start the tattoo. Each part has an individual meaning.

So im wondering has anybody here met or gotten work from Stu/similar artists from a Maori Tribe or has anybody heard of this style of tattooing before?

Thanks again for the help.

Will

i've a faux moari style tattoo on my stomach/chest. It's just abstract and doesn't mean anything. Maori tattooing is sacred and takes years to actually earn a proper maori tattoo. As you said earlier the elders will talk with you and more or less interview you, see what is important in your family, your beliefs and in you and take it from there. They are not thrown around or given out based on how much money you can pay, they have to be earned and seen to be earned by the elders of your tribe.