She Got Inked?

I just realized one of my characters has a tattoo.

I’m working on the third book in the Juniper Creek series. My female lead revealed a huge secret the other day. She has a tattoo. Not a butterfly or an Egyptian eye (though I’m certain those are very nice). I’m talking about a huge black Maori tattoo on her ribs and hip, and the only one who knows about it is her.

It’s always exciting to discover these kinds of things. The lady in question is proper to a fault on the outside—strait-laced and well spoken, definitely well dressed. But we humans are often different inside than how we project ourselves to the outside world, aren’t we? She is no different.

Of course, this fact led me into a rabbit hole (or dozens). What would her tattoo look like? Where would she get the idea? What would it mean to her? Someone as concerned with external impressions as she is wouldn’t just slap a ten dollar tat on her skin and brag about it at the bar. It would have to have meaning and substance for her to permanently mark herself.

As always, the answer appeared …Ta Moko.

You might have been expecting me to say “Ta Dah” but I’m talking about the traditional tattoos of the Maori people in New Zealand.

In my brief (insufficient to do it justice), but enthusiastic research burst, I found out there are six extremely common traditional figures used in Maori art, tattoos and artifacts: Koru, Pikorua, Toki, Manaia, Hei Tiki, and Hei Matau.

(Check out this website if you want an expert explanation and pictures)

The Koru looked quite familiar. I dug through an old jewelry box and found it, the pendant pictured above.

Back in the olden days, I worked at WestJet as an engine maintenance planner. One of our repair shops was in Christchurch, New Zealand and I had the privilege of visiting the country twice (visits which spanned six days combined … can you say jet lagged?!). On one of my trips, I bought the Koru pendant, probably at the airport or while on the plane (there wasn’t time to sleep never mind shop). I likely wore it twice, figured the string was too long and put it aside for later.

Koru, it turns out, is symbolic of the fern frond (they grow wild in New Zealand) and represents new beginnings. Since I love writing about fresh starts and reinvention, I thought this was quite appropriate.

But how does this relate to my character’s giant tattoo? I instantly thought of the Koru on her hip, because naturally, she’s starting over, but on further investigation, I discovered another symbol might work better: The Manaia.

I can't find a royalty free picture at the moment. One day, I'll draw it and post it here, but for now look at the website link above or just trust that the thing isn't pretty. Doesn't matter, because for her, it isn’t about being pretty. It’s about being meaningful and this “Bird-headed, Man-body with a Fish tail” creation is just the thing. It’s always shown in profile, demonstrating a connection between us and the spirit world. Kind of perfect for my gal, because for her, it’s packed with relevance that will never fade.

If you have a tattoo, what’s the story behind it? I’d love to hear about it.