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It is
believed that the practice of "Moko" or tattooing was
brought to New Zealand by the Polynesians who migrated
there. During fierce tribal wars in the 1820’s lawless
European sailors plying their trade along the coast of New
Zealand began the practice of trading weapons for preserved
tattooed heads. Nobody knows the true extent of this
practice, but it became so predominant, that in 1831 the
government of New South Wales banned the import of these
trophies. This drastically curtailed the trade until the
wars ended in the 1860’s.
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