Mobile Unit. Tattooing

Rights Information
Reference
4987
Media type
Audio
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Rights Information
Reference
4987
Media type
Audio
Series
Mobile Unit - NZ oral history, 1946-1948
Categories
Interviews (Sound recordings)
Oral histories
Sound recordings
Duration
00:07:36
Broadcast Date
[1947]
Credits
RNZ Collection
Potae, Kapa, 1880-1954 (b.1880, d.1954), Speaker/Kaikōrero
New Zealand Broadcasting Service. Mobile Recording Unit, Broadcaster

An interview [in English] with Kapa Potae of Kennedy Bay, Coromandel. He talks about the Māori name for Coromandel; the process of tattooing; and the powers of the tohunga.

He begins by telling the story of 'Kapanga', the Māori name for Coromandel. It was named Kapanga after an important Māori man in the early days - Hare Kuri.

He then speaks about the preparation of dye for moko (tattooing). It is prepared from grass and tree bark, which is burned and then mixed with oil. Tohunga did the tattooing. He speaks about the process, which is tapu. A small axe and hammer is used to apply the moko. He says the tohunga could tattoo without inflicting pain, as they had very powerful atua. He says the tohunga would sometimes test a person before tattooing - they would make a cut with the small axe to see if the person bled enough. Kapa says if the person didn't bleed properly the moko wouldn't stick.

He then speaks about tohunga mākutu (casting magic, or spells) - he has heard about it, but never seen it.