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This image depicts a traditional Maori chief with full-face Ta Moko, created by Sydney Parkinson in 1784. It represents the sacred and social identity of Maori individuals and is a valuable visual record of early Maori tattoo traditions.

Ta Moko is the traditional tattooing practice of the Māori people of Aotearoa (New Zealand), distinguished by intricate spiral patterns carved into the skin. Unlike decorative tattoos, Ta Moko is deeply symbolic, representing one's genealogy, social…