Thomas Andrew

In this photograph, a man is lying on the porch of a weatherboard house, receiving a customary tatau. Seated beside him is the tufuga, who is tapping ink into the skin using an ‘au. Meanwhile, the tufuga’s toso is stretching the skin for the ink to penetrate more readily. The pe’a, as shown in this photograph, covers the waist and thigh areas. It is reserved for men, while the malu, comprising marks on the thighs up until above the knee, is performed on women. The photograph was taken by Thomas Andrew around 1893 or 1895.

Author: Charlotte Klinge, Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa