The Māori - indigenous people of New Zealand - have tattooed their faces for centuries. The marks are called 'tā moko', and are etched with 'uhi' chisels instead of needles to leave grooves along with the ink. The pigment used was soot obtained from burning kahikatea, or white pine, sometimes mixed with kauri gum or soot from the oily koromiko (hebe) shrub. The true form is sacred, unique to each person. Tā moko reflects an individual's whakapapa (ancestry) and personal history. In earlier times, it was an important signifier of social rank, knowledge, skill and eligibility to marry.Traditionally, men received Mataora on their face - as a symbol of nobility. As māori believe the head is the most sacred part of the body, facial tattoos have special significance. Realest Natives