Wearing tribal/cultural tattoo's overseas

monreader wrote: »

So I got myself a Ta Moko the first year I came to NZ. I should add that my mother is Maori and it is my right to wear one and I got it done at my tribes gathering. Ever since, I have regretted it so much. The abuse, getting ridiculed and the questions that are asked when someone in NZ sees an Irish man wearing Ta Moko. What is funny though is that once any Maori see it, they straight up ask me am I Maori and I tell them off my heritage and they are all cool about it. However, with pakeha(white New Zealander), they are the ones who laugh, tell me I have no right to wear it and tell me to get rid of it and generally when I tell them off my heritage, I am called a liar.

I have gotten to the stage of getting sick of it, and if any pakeha now question it, I literally tell them to F*** off since they are not Maori and have no right to question anyone on the culture. I also cover it up now when going to pubs and such.

So has anyone gone through stuff like this and how do you deal with it? Honestly, it is upsetting for me as I cannot acknowledge my heritage without worrying that I am going to get a load of **** for it.

First question why do you care?
The amount of irish people that go to Australia, NZ or Pacific islands and come away with "tribal" tattoos is huge.

If a tattoo is personal just say "it's got personal meaning" and leave it at that
I don't explain any of my tattoos unless I want to even at that it'll be mostly just what they are not why.

Also the attitude of they have no right to question someone on a culture is part of your problem you're incredibly defensive, and no offence but people can ask what they like, ya know free speech and all, it's up to you regarding answering or not. People have every "right" to ask questions to gain an understanding again not answering the question is your right but be weary of who you just tell to f**k off, the amount of bar fights that happen because of that is astounding.

Just get out of your head, it's your tattoo, part of your culture and means something to you so who cares what anyone has to say.
Remember opinions are like a**holes everyone has them.

monreader wrote: »

I suppose it is different here in regards to Ta Moko. It is a hugely significant part of the Maori culture and means so much to a person who gets one. There would be places in the North Island that if a foreigner wore a Ta Moko, they would be beaten up for having no right to wear it. Growing up in Ireland, a tattoo to me was just something you liked or meant something to you. In New Zealand, too Maori a Ta Moko is nearly a lifeline of that person from showing the persons lineage to there achievments. Maori wear them with pride.

The reason for this thread is to hear from others who get s*** from foreign cultures for wearing there tattoos if they have no blood to that culture, or like myself who has blood to the Maori culture but speak with a hard out Irish accent. Like you say, there is so much Irish that get cultural tattoos so there has to be some that get s*** from the cultures that there tattoo belong too.

Put it this way, how would you feel if a tattoo you had which had such an impact on your life and means so much to you, got so much ridicule and abuse from others. You step into my shoes and you will see how proud you become of that tattoo.

I'm fully aware of the history, tradition and cultures surrounding tattoos, including it's original meaning and how the Maori and samoan cultures use and value them.

Isn't it the case that there's a bit of a racial divide between white and native's in nz anyway with strong racism both sides.

If you're white as the driven snow people won't believe you have Maori heritage and think you're another white boy with a tribal tattoo (I'm assuming you're a guy). That's life.

I have tattoos from my own ancestory (norse), that a lot of irish people get similar types and iconography that have no connection to they just like it do I care when people assume my traditional mjönir is because of avengers nope.
Because simply put others opinions don't hold enough value to me to make me bet an eye.
That's what I'm trying to relay to you, stop caring.

The tattoo has a connection to part of your heritage and it's fine to honour that, but remember if you're half maori through your mother and half white irish through your father, some people will say you don't have the right to wear it because you're not full blooded.

Just relax, don't answer, stop letting it get to you.
It's important to you so who care what anyone else thinks.

If you're getting into fights over a tattoo, you have some issues to sort out about how you let people get to you.