Who Stole My Hangi?

So what is the big deal about sticking some pictures on a T-shirt, pair of skis, or a packet of cigarettes? Why do we hear about Māori up in arms because of the use of a few designs? What is the big deal? –These are questions I get often from friends and colleagues so I thought I would answer as best I can once and for all.

The concerns of Māori in the use of these designs hinges on the ‘appropriateness’ of the application of the design. One of the major factors is that Māori depended on the images and icons to pass on knowledge in lieu of the western styled written language. Therefore the designs and images represent words, meanings and stories.

Given this it is little wonder when the ignorant select the wrong design to grace the front of their product or packaging, they are likely to cause offence.

Even so, what claim does Māori really have on a specific design or icon? according to western law if the author to a design or painting dies, after a certain period the designs become open domain or available to anyone. However indigenous lore not law, which is thousands of years old, differs in some respects because the design is recognised as belonging to the tribe who entrust their history, and meaning to the artist who created it.

Since the tribe is classed as a living entity even after several hundred years later it could be said that it still belongs to the tribe by today’s standards. But this is open for debate and interpretation and may mean a new chapter needs to be included on indigenous intellectual property rights.

There are a number of big company’s or corporations that have been embarrassed by the decision to use Māori heritage on their products or packaging, and not doing it the effectively. These include the recent drama of NZ Post using cartoon caricatures of Kapi Haka. NZ Post had the best of intentions, but the use of cartoons to depict something that is dear to the Māori culture caused such an outcry that the stamps were withdrawn and approximately 1 million were destroyed.

The huge Danish toy company Lego used Māori names for it’s characters in the Bionicles series. Initially they contested their right to use the names but finally capitulated. More controversially was Morris Tobacco (a huge corporation by any standards), who branded a pack of cigarettes as “Māori Mix”; including a map of New Zealand and various Māori designs.

Unsurprisingly this caused a furore amongst the Māori community, who have been battling against the grip the tobacco industry seems to have on the Māori people, let alone the Māori heritage. The uproar resulted in an apology from the CEO and a quick withdrawal of the product. These public failures beg the question. Why do they bother? Why sell cigarettes to Israeli’s with Māori designs on them?

In fact Māori design and iconography is undergoing a renaissance in New Zealand, and in many ways this renaissance has been driven by a world hungry for designs that are different and contain some meaning. The icons of much of the western world are largely ‘plastic’ and meaningless: The arches of McDonalds for example, and other manufactured icons.

The resurgence in spirituality, and an interest in alternate cultures throughout the western world has resulted in a demand for Māori icons and designs in the form of Tattoos, product decoration, and symbolism. International corporations are aware of these trends and look to profit from them.

However these lessons have hit home. When it comes to using indigenous imagery as a brand for commercial gain, a new process is emerging. Businesses are becoming increasingly aware of the need to explore the cultural sensitivity, offensiveness and ownership of a trademark which is made up if indigenous imagery or references, before making use of it. Such consultation may be with elders, clans, iwi, language institutions, government departments, and artists, for example. This all goes towards promoting authenticity and depth to a product or service – and more importantly, promoting our culture correctly.

Although the larger corporations are investing in this process the smaller businesses really don’t know what to do. The problems stem from people who are not fully informed or have been poorly advised about the market and how to go about using Māori designs correctly. There is a cultural revival, a Māori renaissance, occurring here in New Zealand. This shows that Māori are alive and kicking and are doing what they can to protect what is left after one hundred and fifty years of colonialism.

Those intending on using Māori design may benefit in the knowledge that Māori are united on all fronts in the protection and preservation of their cultural identities with fierce passion. There are always people ready to take advantage of the uniqueness of what Māori culture bring to the global mix. Unless you have the credibility and respect of the community, expect to see a war party at your doorstep with a pounding by the cultural watchdogs or protectors of Māori culture.

Tiki O'Brien is the founder of www.maori-arts.com. A Maori Artist, designer and entrepreneur with a passion for creativity he has amassed a wealth of knowledge and experience in marketing, media and communication. A graduate from the school of hard knocks he is mostly self taught and is sought after for his knowledge.

So how does one go about getting a Māori design? And what is the correct procedure? for more information sign up to be a FREE member on www.maori-arts.com.


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Help With Deciding On The Right Tattoo

When you have decided that you really want a tattoo and you know of a tattoo artist you are going to use then the next step is deciding on a particular tattoo design that you want. From this point on is where the hard work starts. Finding the tattoo artist is the easy part but deciding on what tattoo you want will take work. There are so many different kinds of Tattoos to choose from it actually makes it harder to determine which tattoo to go with. It’s also a lot of fun looking at tons of different possible tattoo designs. The type of artwork that you choose will be a personal preference but there are some designs that are more common than others. For example, an angel tattoo design is more popular with men than a rose or butterfly tattoo which is popular with women.

The colors to choose for a tattoo vary widely and all depend on personal preference. Rose tattoos do not have to necessarily be red, but can also be black or white as there are many different meanings with rose colors. Styles of the different tattoos will vary also depending on they type of tattoo.

The angel or devil tattoo will tend to be in larger format with bold dark colors, while a tribal tattoo will have many pieces and black color. A butterfly can be any different colors, sizes and shapes.

Choosing the location of the tattoo is also part of the process. You can have a tattoo put anywhere on the human body and some people will go overboard and place a tattoo in odd places such as the top of the head, under the neck, on fingers, feet and many other places you can think of. What is popular for women might not be as popular for men, such as women love to have tattoos placed on the lower back, upper back or on the ankle, while men tend to have tattoos placed on the upper arm, shoulder or back. It is all a matter of style and what the person likes best. There really is not a wrong place to put a tattoo as long as you like it.

As you can see, the choice of tattoo designs are endless and finding the right tattoo for you may seem like a huge task but of course there are many resources you can use to find the right tattoo.

Using the Internet to start your research may be a good idea as there are many different websites related to tattoo designs. There are many galleries and pictures that you can look through to get an idea of the kinds of tattoos out there. Most sites will try to sell you templates of tattoos, which might be of good use since you can take those templates to your tattoo artist, which in the long run will save you money from having a tattoo artist design a fresh tattoo. This does not mean you cannot have the template modified. The cost will depend on the size and complexity of the tattoo design that you decide to go with. So if you wish for a small tattoo, it might be worth the extra cost for a tattoo artist to create a unique design.

If you do not find any tattoo designs on the internet that you like, you can always go to your tattoo artist and ask for a sketch of a tattoo that you may be thinking about. This of course will cost extra but may be worth it in the long run as once a tattoo is put on the body it’s very difficult to get rid of it. Be sure to spend time researching your tattoo and look through as many pictures and designs as possible as it will help you decide what you want.

After finding a tattoo artist you will need to do research to find the tattoo design. Start by looking through directories or galleries of tattoo designs. This will help you find the design you are looking for. Even if you don't know what kind of tattoo design you want, by looking through galleries you will get an idea of what is out there. Angel tattoos are becoming popular among men, along with devil tattoos. But for females you might want to look for rose tattoos or even any kind of lower back tattoo designs.


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How To Be A Tattoo Artist

It seems that more and more people are getting Tattoos or talking about getting one. This is great for the industry and even better for those who would like to get a foot in the door in the tattoo industry. But don’t think for a moment that becoming a professional tattoo artist is easy. There really isn’t any such thing as easy money by becoming a tattoo artist.

To begin with, you will need talent. You will never make it in the tattoo industry by tracing or stenciling, you will need to be able to draw great designs. To even get considered as a tattoo artist, a portfolio is needed. This will require you to draw until your hands ache and then a little more. Your portfolio is your proof that you have the skills that are needed to succeed in the industry. Without a portfolio, don’t even bother.

Once you have a portfolio to showcase your talents, you will need a mentor, someone who is willing to teach you the trade and share their secrets with you. Now this is the tricky thing, tattoo artists don’t like giving away their secrets. If you do find someone good, a real professional who is willing to tell you anything at all about the industry, listen up!

In some states you will be required by law to get an apprenticeship and train for a number of years to become a tattoo artist. Unlike a traditional apprenticeship, you will be required to pay the tattoo artist that you are working under a fee and you wont get paid for your work while you are being trained. There is no real time limit on how long you will train. The mentor you choose will tell you when he thinks you are ready to branch off and become a professional.

To train as a tattoo artist, you will need proper, high-quality equipment such as a tattoo machine, power supplies, shading equipment, needles, medical equipment and sanitation supplies. You will also need to know about cleanliness and what can and can’t be reused, as well as how to clean your equipment. The popular professional tattoo artists are successful for a number of reasons, but mainly because they are clean and very talented.

You can succeed in the tattoo industry, but you will need to be talented, self-driven and dedicated. If you want to make millions in the first month as a tattoo artist, you are wasting your time. Become a tattoo artist because you love the art and love to create breath-taking pieces of body art. Be prepared to work for free and, most of all, if you get someone to stop and share a secret or two with you, take their advice. You will definitely need it.
Tim owns and operates a tattoo site to help people in all aspects of the tattoo world. For more information on How To Be A Tattoo Artist go to: http://www.dotattoos.com/tattooartist.htm


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Need A Tattoo Idea or Design?

We all have seen those eye grabbing figures many people wears on their skins. If you are a tattoo fan you may be on the look for an original tattoo you can wear without finding the same design on the arm of every guy you find at every club.

For one reason it seems that most guys and gals prefer and like creepy tattoo designs and ideas. But where can you get the best ideas for these? For example one way of getting great ideas is by watching those big wrestlers on the ring. They usually wear pretty awesome Tattoos on their skins, tattoos that translate into an identity, into what their represent on the ring. Maybe your design won’t be the most original by choosing this source of inspiration, but you’ll grab the idea and with some variations you can get a real good tattoo design for yourself. A tattoo that will have an identity.

Of course, there are other sources. One of them is the world of movies. If you love horror movies, then you will be delighted by incorporating some of their stars into your designs (they will always make an eye grabbing tattoo); for example the world famous Freddy Kruger, legendary beasts as Alien, The Thing, Dexter, or even Scream, and Pet Cemetery can make a really good and original tattoo for your preferred piece of skin.

Once you have found a great image with an identity for itself you can translate it into a tattoo, incorporating your own creativity to make your new tattoo all you want it to be.

If you want to visit a huge gallery of tattoo designs, so huge you won’t have time to review all of them in one evening visit:


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