Guide
Māori Tā Moko Designs for Women: Moko Kauae & Whakairo
Updated 2026-07-05
Tā moko is the Māori tradition of chiseled or tapped skin marking. Designs for women differ from men in both placement and motif. The most sacred is moko kauae — the chin marking — which is reserved for Māori women who whakapapa (trace descent) to iwi (tribes) and are gifted the moko by their whānau.
Moko kauae: what it is and who wears it
Moko kauae marks the chin and jaw with lines that record whakapapa. Historically it signalled a woman's readiness to take her place as a leader within her hapū. It is not a decorative choice — receiving one is a decision the whole whānau participates in, and the design itself is drawn from the wearer's genealogy.
If you are not Māori, moko kauae is not a design to request. Ask a Māori tā moko artist about non-moko Māori-influenced work instead — forearm or shoulder pieces that use koru, whakairo and manaia motifs without occupying sacred placements.
Common placements for women
Beyond moko kauae, wāhine designs frequently sit on the forearm, upper arm, shoulder, hip and thigh. Forearms often carry the family story in a spiraling band. Thigh pieces echo the traditional puhoro and can extend from hip to knee.
Motifs to know
Koru — the unfurling silver-fern frond; new beginnings. Manaia — a guardian figure with bird, human and fish elements. Hei matau — the fish hook; strength and prosperity. Whakairo — the carved-line surface pattern that fills between anchor motifs.
Frequently asked
Can non-Māori women get moko kauae?
No. Moko kauae is specifically for Māori women who whakapapa to iwi. Non-Māori women can request Māori-influenced work in other placements from a Māori artist.
What is kirituhi?
Kirituhi means 'skin art' — the term Māori artists use for Māori-style tattoos they design for non-Māori clients. It uses similar visual language without invoking sacred whakapapa markings.
Is moko still done with chisels?
Some tohunga-tā-moko still use the uhi (chisel), but most contemporary work is machine-drawn. Both are considered valid; the tohunga and the design carry the mana, not the tool alone.