Many of these mantles, whether of flax, feathers or dog-skin, were quaintly beautiful as well as warm and waterproof.
Nor did Maori skill confine itself to ornamenting the clothing of man.

The human skin supplied a fresh and peculiar field for durable decoration.

This branch of art, that of Moko or tattooing, they carried to a grotesque perfection.

Among the many legends concerning their demi-god Maui, a certain story tells how he showed them the way to tattoo by puncturing the muzzle of a dog, whence dogs went with black muzzles as men see them now.

For many generations the patterns cut and pricked on the human face and body were faithful imitations of what were believed to be Maui's designs.