Many great traditions in art have a foundation in the art of one of the great ancient civilizations: Ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia, Persia, India, China, Ancient Greece, Rome, as well as Inca, Maya, and Olmec.
Ta Moko was like a history of a person's achievements and represented their status in their tribe.t was a huge honour for people to have Ta Moko. Ta Moko was worn by both men and women. It was applied to the face and buttocks of men, and to the chin, lips and shoulders of women. Depending on their ranking, they may also have Ta Moko on their face.
It also showed his attractiveness, and in a song sung during the ceremony there is talk of how females will want to do things to serve him after receiving his Moko. For females, it was mostly a sign of strength, fertility and beauty. However, within the tribe, the female Moko also designated speaking rights.