Wairua kaha, more commonly known as stick and poke, is a traditional tattoo worn with pride. As a resident you have to earn your first tattoo and there is a ceremony attached to it. As a tourist you can buy these. The prices are what the standard prices as in the UBN.
Wairua Kaha
Wairua kaha, better known as stick and poke, is a traditional tattoo that must be earned. Whenever you have earned this masterpiece, it must be worn with great pride!
Wairua Kaha stands for strong spirit because of the following legend: a great Whenuan warrior started living on his own, before going into the biggest battle of his life: the battle with the underworld! He lived in nature and became one with it. He saw how animals fought and was inspired by them. He used this inspiration as battleplans he tattooed on his body in an artistic form. That way no one but him understood them.
Another reason why it is called strong spirit, is because you have to be strong to get this tattoo. This type of tattooing is performed by using a needle dipped in ink and a wooden stick. (The inks are made from all natural products.) A stick and poke tattoo is known to be painful. But as a true inhabitant of Whenua you should never show your pain.
A new target audience has emerged and a new market: the tourists. Stick and poke is a rising trend around the world. It would be a shame not to go along with this. Recently, the residents have also opened up the art of tattooing to tourists.
However, there are some conditions attached to this. They don’t have to earn it like the locals do. This also means that they cannot have any sacred symbols of the Whenua faith.
A wairua kaha is worn with great respect. You can’t just have them tattooed in any place. The inhabitants of Whenua have them placed on sacred grounds such as Mount Maunga. There is also a complete ritual when you receive a tattoo. Songs are sung, bonfires are lit, and the inhabitants play on the Poraka Puro*. (a more detailed explanation can be found in Laura's report)
Tourists don’t have to go all the way up to one of the holy places. They can have it set in a piha, which is a hut of a wairua kaha master. He has earned this title and is therefore also an expert in placing these works of art.
The traditional place for the tattoos was the face. However, this has changed over the years. Tourists mainly opt for the placement of the tattoos either on their arms, legs or chests.
As mentioned before, the inhabitants must earn their tattoos. The price attached to it therefore depends on what their assignment or accomplishment is, such as “being an extremely good warrior” in wartime. Another example is that as a 16-year-old you prove yourself by surviving X number of days alone. Saving a whale from fishing nets can also yield a tattoo. So, there is no script that you can follow since everyone’s accomplishment is different, which makes the tattoo even more unique and important.
In addition to the main tattoo that you have earned. You can also have smaller additional tattoos. These can either be earned or bought. The price depends on the size and importance. A basic tattoo starts at 6M. (1M= 25$)
Tourist however do not have to prove themselves. They can buy the tattoos. The prices are similar to the price you pay in the UBN. This allows residents to earn a lot of income. On the last page you can find a price chart in dollars.
The wairua kaha is in the Maturity-fase. A few things have changed over time. As a resident, you can now buy tattoos after you have earned your first one. A new market has also been opened for tourists, tattoos purely done for their beauty.