I cracked up when he said ...yah rastafari 😂😂😂😂😂😂

Sup cuz (cousin), I have to clarify your points for you mate, sorry for the essay. 1. You don't earn a ta moko/moko kauae. As a Māori, it is your birthright. So you could go to any tattooist and stamp something on your face. But if you want it to mean something, you will need to do some research i.e figure out your whakapapa (family lines), consult with a few artists who specialise in ta moko, chat to your family, friends about this (it's a big change, it needs to be thought out well), figure out why you'd want one and ask those who have it, on their reasons and their experience. The world is not a ta moko friendly place, there will be repercussions. 2. You are NOT a 1/4 Māori. To us, you are simply Māori. 😉 This is not a denial of the other heritage and genetics that you have in your DNA or the cultures that have raised you, but to affirm that the ONLY marker you need to identify as Māori is whakapapa. Not the language, not how you look, or how much genetics you have, it's whakapapa - family and tribal lines. When a person days they're half something, especially a native, they're using a classification imposed upon them called blood quantum. And this concept was used by westerners mainly the USA federal govt, to break apart individuals from their tribes based on blood % so that they could give less money & land to tribes they disenfranchised. Blood quantum removes the "human" in a native, reduces a complete person into parts to be measured or fixed, like a machine. But the term Māori is an umbrella, it is meant to envelope you, acknowledging that you are a whole being and you are not a machine. Ngā mihi, good luck on your journey.

@saltn8639 i understand that side of things, that the blood is the blood, but im aussie as, havent lived the culture of the Maori, id feel it unearned if i just went and got one, know what i mean. Id hate to be one if these people claiming things just to feel special especially considering im happy with my white heritage aswell.

@@darreneccles7770 understandable. It is both a blessing & a burden to wear ta moko. Give it time, maybe later, you'll feel differently. I cherish both sides as well - being able to walk between worlds requires time to build a sense of self that does not require outside validation. But I must stress again, that all you need to identify as Māori, is knowing whakapapa. Look through your family surnames, many names are connected to certain tribes and work from there. The world is a small place, you'll find a Māori connection soon. And if you don't want that, then that's ok too. It's your life to live. 😊 Ngā mihi

Yup. I figure you would indeed .

He isn’t , he understands the bigger picture very clear , he knows Māori fought oppressors aswell , he feels us