Hirepool...

[growler_south]

A little know fact about the City Branch is that the street on which we are located, Potatau St, is named after the paramount chef from the Tainui / Nati Paua tribes from the late 1700s.



Hirepool website. Oh dear.

Comments

[f8n-begorra.livejournal.com]

I've been trawling the archives of your NZ national library for images these last few days--presentation of the trip in a few weeks--and no, I'm not including Growler, images or adventures!! I've pulled some other examples of Moko--including John Rutherford, and Englishman (but I expect he's well known by Kiwis). I find the Maori tattoo work--and some other Polynesian examples, the most beautiful I've seen. Now if I didn't have to work for a living...

[growler-south.livejournal.com]

LOL poor John, his moko is now considered no more than kirituhi, although as one of the first europeans to be tattooed there was no precedent and thus his moko was possibly an honest attempt.

Your Moko is an expression of your genealogy and tribal history. You could get something that looked the part (Kirituhi) but as you have no maori ancestry it would be no more than a pretty adornment and some still see it as insulting. Then again, I'd love to see Moko based on celtic imagery...

[f8n-begorra.livejournal.com]

It's the killer, isn't it--knowing that it could never be more than "pretty ornament." Permanent exclusion!

[growler-south.livejournal.com]

LOL Im permanently excluded from the oirish world of red hair, large hands and catholic guilt, no matter how much I liked the idea and learned about it.

Though I do hope to have some Irish in me sometime soon ;-)

[f8n-begorra.livejournal.com]

BTW--If I married a Maori woman, would I then be entitled to an authentic Moko?

Though I do hope to have some Irish in me sometime soon
Keep practicing with squirtybear using plenty of his special fragrance. LOL. You'll have LOTS of Oirish in ya after that!

[growler-south.livejournal.com]

If I married you would I be entitled to tell your stories and your history as if they were my own? Moko is your cultural memoir. I think the problem with Moko is that its an artform that tells a history from a maori perspective- since your history isnt particlarly lush with maori-specific culture, there would be no way of designing a moko that told your story. A Moko that was designed for you would be entirely made up- parts of it would signify your genealogy, your spirituality, your lifes journey- but the actual designs would be meaningless, as they would not have been influenced by your ancestors own designs and arts.

Though its debatable whether Moko is still the art it used to be- it skipped a few generations, breaking the lines of succession..

[f8n-begorra.livejournal.com]

In Maori tradition-- the temporary face painting that looks (to the outsider) like a "temporary Moko" --is it Moko or something entirely different?

[growler-south.livejournal.com]

Generally, its 'kirituhi', pretty design that looks the part.

As I understand it, kirituhi used to mean the process of applying a moko design in a non-permanent manner (charcoal IIRC) which, though not insulting, wasnt considered to be of any significance or to carry any prestige (mana).

The meaning of the term 'Kirituhi' has been extended to include moko-like designs that have no particular meaning (and are therefor not insulting to anyone except the purists)

[growler-south.livejournal.com]

Oh and for the record, me sticking a chefs hat on Chief Anehana was kinda insulting too, but Hirepool started it!!

[pa747sp.livejournal.com]

Unless he was indeed the best cook in the tribe, and was particularly good at making chips...