#✧ Aras: My body is my journal and my tattoos are my story. ⸻ ✶

[madeleineovendenccc]

Written Component: Tapu/Noa

Tapu and noa work as a mutual dependent duality, rather than as binary opposites. Tapu and noa are relational principles which are kept in balance yet can vary depending on context or events. Tapu is the strongest force in Māori life. It has many meanings. Tapu can be ‘sacred’, or defined as ‘spiritual restriction’, Typically principals such as touching someone's head, or food are common forms of noa, and when associated with tapu matter, it is considered offensive (Higgins). For example, associating Māori elements with certain goods, like alcohol, could be considered offensive as these things can devalue Māori culture. "A Rangatira avoided scratching his head with his hand because this would make the hand tapu. Until correct procedures had been followed to reverse the Tapu to the state of noa - the opposite of Tapu, it would be dangerous to use his hand for common activities." (Tapu - sacred Māori code) 

There are times where you can possess more of one than the other. Tapu represents something forbidden or restricted, "Noa is the antithesis of tapu, describing the state of a place, resource or activity that is deemed ordinary or safe, and not subject to control" (Ataria). Tapu helps to control the randomness and thoughts you have with Noa. Stories throughout my childhood have given me the sense that Māori men exercised power over Women, from racially insensitive adverts and movies of Māori men beating their wives to even in primary school when you learn stories of Whakapapa. Predominantly male characters are the main focus and influential female roles are downplayed. 

Colonisation has skewed peoples views on Tapu and Noa, this is in part to enable westerners understanding of it to be more comfortable. In doing this, women in Māori culture seem inferior to men and have had their mana stripped of them, with dominant western ideologies positioning Non-Māori as well as Māori men as being superior to Māori women (Pihama). Mana is something that comes from knowing who you are and the connection to where you come from. You can test someone's mana by the equal respect you get from them, such as standing above someone while talking takes that persons mana away, as it insinuates you are not equal. If you look at the Maiori language, it becomes apparent that inequality between sexes was not even a concept, as both personal and possessive personal pronouns are gender-neutral.  Because women carry more Noa than men, they have been perceived to be only useful to cook and to carry children and not have any form of status. 

Women and Men are essential parts in the collective whole of Tapu/Noa, both forming part of the Whakapapa that links Maori with the past present and future. Mikaere explains "The very survival of the whole was absolutely dependent upon everyone who made it up, and therefore each and every person within the group had his or her own intrinsic value." (Mikaere). In western society Males are perceived as the head of the household, when born you are property of your father, and once you are married you are property of your husband, 'woman and children were chattels to be used and abused by the paterfamilias as he chose.' (Mikaere). When comparing western and Māori ideologies of marriage it is evident that the way women are perceived in Maori culture has been whitewashed, but in fact once 'married' they retain their name and their primary source of support is with their whānau, not the husband.

'You could say that Kahukiwa's art is a form of biochemical warfare: in thrall to a hormonally-driven gynocentric world view, she relegates males to a secondary role. Women, it's stressed, articulate muscular energy every bit as impressively as males.' (Eggleton)

To Māori, women are te whare tangata – the house of humanity, Robyn Kahukiwa is regularly celebrating essential female elements in Māori culture. The series 'Upoko Tapu' is based on traditional Tikanaga, with the head being the most tapu part of your body. Huia feathers have been used to emphasise the Tapu because huia feathers are Taonga which are the treasures of ancestors and nostrils are flared to draw in Te Ha (the breath of life). The Woman in Kahukiwa’s painting possesses a lot of Mana. She makes a point of these women being important with the use of their Moko Kauae, For Māori women, as historian Michael King notes in his seminal book Moko, the moko was a rite of passage, marking the passage between girl and adulthood. Kahukiwa’s art has a strong feminist theme. 

When the influx of English settlers arrived, Māori were pushed from their land and conformity began. Tohunga was then banned, and children were not allowed to speak Māori at school and by the 1970s the Moko had died out. Only a few elders wore Moko Kauae, and facial tattoos carried a negative connotation 'adopted by disaffected urban Māori, they became associated with gangs and crime.' (Duff).

For Maori Woman, it spoke of healing, reflection, empowerment and identity. Kahukiwa quickly shows all of these things through her artwork, 'she attempts to redress the conventional portrayal of women as less important than their male counterparts.' (Ministry for Culture and Heritage). In her paintings, Kahukiwa makes a secure connection between the Mana of birds/land with Wahine and helps Māori Woman as a form of holistic healing from the impact of colonisation, and helps to remove the stigma that Māori woman have been burdened with and encourage equality between Men and Woman - ‘kanohi ki te kanohi’ eye to eye as equals’ (Iti)

Reference List.

Higgins, Rawinia. “Te Mana o Te Wāhine – Māori Women.” Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, 5 May 2011, www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/te-mana-o-te-wahine-maori-women/print.

“Tapu - Sacred Māori Code.” TNZ Media, 7 Mar. 2016, media.newzealand.com/en/story-ideas/tapu-sacred-maori-code/.

Ataria, James. From Tapu to Noa – Maori Cultural Views On Human Biowaste Managment  , stream.massey.ac.nz/pluginfile.php/3837535/mod_label/intro/Ataria, James (Ngāti Kahungunu and Ngāti Tūwharetoa), et al. %22From Tapu to Noa-Māori cultural views on biowastes management- a focus on biosolids.%22 Centre for Integrated Biowaste Research Report 16-01 (2016)..pdf?time=1594808802452.

Mikaere, Annie. “Maori Woman: Caught In the Contradictions of a Colonised Reality.” Maori Women: Caught in the Contradictions of a Colonised Reality - Annie Mikaere - Te Piringa: University of Waikato, 1994, www.waikato.ac.nz/law/research/waikato_law_review/pubs/volume_2_1994/7.

Simmonds, Naomi. “Mana Wahine: Decolonising Politics.” Women’s Studies Journal, vol. 25, no. 2, Dec. 2011, www.wsanz.org.nz/journal/docs/WSJNZ252Simmonds11-25.pdf.

Pihama, Leonie. “Tihei Mauri Ora: Honouring Our Voices. Mana Wahine as a Kaupapa Maori Theoretical Framework.” Tu Tama Wahine o Taranaki, 2001, www.tutamawahine.org.nz/tihea_mauri_ora.

'Hinetitama by Robyn Kahukiwa', URL: https://nzhistory.govt.nz/media/photo/hinetitama-robyn-kahukiwa, (Ministry for Culture and Heritage), updated 8-Mar-2019

King, Michael. Moko Māori Tattooing in the 20th Century. David Bateman Ltd, 2014.

Duff, Michelle. 'It's Transformative': Māori Women Talk About Their Sacred Chin Tattoos, 13 Sept. 2016, www.vice.com/en_us/article/9k95ey/its-transformative-maori-women-talk-about-their-sacred-chin-tattoos.

Catnip, Published by Content. “Mana Wahine: The Female Moko in Māori Culture.” Content Catnip, 11 Nov. 2018, contentcatnip.com/2018/07/15/mana-wahine-the-female-moko-in-maori-culture/.

Ocarrol, Hine. “Biography.” Hineocarroll, 11 Nov. 2015, hineocarroll.wordpress.com/biography/.

Eggleton, David. “Earth and Spirit Robyn Kahukiwa's Mauri Ora! Exhibition.” Art New Zealand, 2003, www.art-newzealand.com/Issue105/robyn.htm.

Pitts, Pricilla. “Book Review.” Art New Zealand, 1984, www.art-newzealand.com/Issues31to40/books3101.htm.

Iti, Tame. “Mana: The Power In Knowing Who You Are.” TED, 17 June. 2015, www.youtube.com/watch?v=qeK3SkxrZRI&feature=emb_title

[arasanwar]

Aras Anwar ⸻ ✶ currently residing in Las Vegas, NV is a tattoo artist with some spice. His name is mostly known among a special group of people. However, some people only know him as Dream Fulfiller. It all started with Ryan Hopkins who came to him wanting a cowboy tattooed for protection and was shot by that cowboy on the open road two weeks later. His tattoo? Gone. Not a single hint remained on his body that he ever got tattooed at Aras. But not only bad things happened. Some of his tattoos also fulfilled the greatest desires of the heart. The most beautiful moment was when a father could hold his dead daughter in his arms again - … right? I wonder what would happen if you let him tattoo you? - currently open for plotting

                                   Writing || About || Carrd

[arasanwar]

@bvtchcr Stole the first one from your phone. 😈 Thought I was the only one who screenshottet our legendary phone calls. 😌

P.S: Our battery level is on point. 🤌 P.P.S: I also find it funny that we always talk on the phone at about the same time. lol. P.P.P.S: I'm really excited to talk to you later. I have wyld stories to tell.

[arasanwar]

[arasanwar]

go on pinterest and type “your character's name + core” and post the first 9 results. This is my invitation to you to do it the way you want. My results were not satisfying. So I changed it. Show me how you see yourselves!

tagged by: @bvtchcr & @frcnchman tagging: @ertraeumte , @phasmophobie , @thisis-elijah , @exsecrabar , @inscmnis , @geisterwelt , @trauma-report & really anyone who sees this! Tag me, I'm curious what you come up with.

[arasanwar]

[arasanwar]

[arasanwar]

[arasanwar]

What kind of fantasy dagger would you own?

⸻ ✶ worn dagger ✶ ⸻

this dagger has been passed down for many generations, and yet it is unrivaled in sharpness. the only skin it pierces belongs to the scum of the earth. you would be fit as a vigilante warrior, carrying out justice that the law hasn't been able to touch. you've worked hard to get to where you are, and your own set of morals are unshakeable. in the capitol, there are whispers in every corner about your deeds. somehow, it seems as though the townsfolk do not fear you. no, they seem to be cheering you on as subtly as they can. perhaps the world isn't so rotten, after all.

tagged by: @heartofglass-mindofstone tagging: @thisis-elijah | @h3lls-bells | @roman-demigod | @clever-artistic | @thedevil-diabolical | @phasmophobie | and whoever wants to. You can tag me if you want. I like reading these things. (Tbh I have no clue who hasn’t done this one yet.)

[arasanwar]

[arasanwar]

rules: you can only say “guilty” or “innocent.” you are not allowed to explain anything unless someone messages or asks you. repost, don’t reblog!

asked someone to marry you? — innocent

kissed one of your friends? — guilty

danced on a table in a bar / tavern? — innocent

ever told a lie? — guilty

had feelings for someone you can’t have? — guilty

ever kissed someone of the same sex? — guilty

kissed a picture? — innocent

slept until 5pm? — guilty

fallen asleep at work / school? — guilty

worked at a fast food chain / restaurant? — guilty

stolen something? — innocent

been fired from a job? — innocent

done something you regret? —  guilty

laughed until something you were drinking came out of your nose? —  guilty

caught a snowflake on your tongue? —  guilty

kissed in the rain? — innocent

sat on a rooftop? —  guilty

kissed someone you shouldn’t have? — innocent

sang in the shower? — innocent

been pushed into a body of water with all your clothes on? — innocent

shaved your head? —  guilty

slept naked? —  guilty

made a boyfriend / girlfriend cry? — innocent

shot a gun? — innocent

still loved someone you shouldn’t? — innocent

have / had a tattoo /piercing? —  guilty

liked someone, but will never tell who? — innocent

been too honest? —  guilty

ruined a surprise? —  guilty

been told that you’re beautiful by someone who totally meant what they said? — innocent

stalked someone? — innocent

thoughts about murder? — innocent

how about mass murder? — innocent

cheated on someone? — innocent

gotten so angry that you cried? —  guilty

tried to stay away from someone for their own good? — innocent

thoughts about suicide? — innocent

had a girlfriend / boyfriend? —  guilty

gotten totally drunk during a holiday? —  guilty

tagged by: stolen

tagging: @thedevil-diabolical | @h3lls-bells | @phasmophobie | @apex-champion |

[arasanwar]

[arasanwar]

[arasanwar]

𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒔𝒆𝒆𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈?

⸻ ✶ HOME ✶ ⸻

❝I wish I could say I am a light that never goes out, but I flicker from time to time.❞ // Oh, little one, you have burned for so quietly for so long, haven't you? Burnt yourself out trying to give others light? Wishing, desperately, that they would notice the way your hands shake or the wildflower bruises under your tired eyes. But they never have, have they? And so, it obviously wasn't bad? Right? You had more to give, didn't you? how much could you pour yourself out before they noticed? It is all you've ever known, after all. Help, help, help, help. (Are you providing it, or begging for it?) But you've given too much, spread yourself too thin, didn't you? You are so heavy, so tired. You have spent your life carrying for others the way you wished someone would care for you. But you're worried, aren't you? That if you can't be what they need, if you can't be the pillar for others to lean on, they'll leave you. What you seek is home, a safe place to rest and be taken care of. And little light, you deserve it. You have earned it. You are worth more than what you can provide for others: you deserve the same care you so freely give out. They will love you all the same, honey. Set down the world, and rest that weary heart of yours.

tagged by: @geisterseherintagging: @thedevil-diabolical | @a-neverending-story |@apex-champion | @trauma-report | and whoever wants to. You can tag me if you want. I like reading these things. (Tbh I have no clue who hasn't done this one yet.)

[arasanwar]

EMOTIONAL  BAGGAGE .      bold  whatever  applies  to  your  muse ,      italicize  the  things  that  only  somewhat  apply / are  verse dependent .   

been  cheated  on      |      been  bullied      |      had your heart broken      |      broken  someone’s  heart      |      told  a  horrible  lie      |      been  betrayed      |      been  framed / set-up      |      stolen  something  of  value   |      overdosed  on  drugs      |      been  drunk      |      cheated      |      bullied    |      been  publicly  humiliated      |      punched  someone  in  the  face   |      been  beaten  up      |      broken  a  bone      |      been admitted to a hospital      |     put  someone  in  the  hospital      |      had  a  near-death  experience      |     been  drugged      |      done  drugs      |      smoked      |      been  arrested   |      been  homeless   |      been  forced  to  commit  a  crime      |      died  and  came  back  to  life      |      kissed  someone  you  weren’t  attracted  to     |      bled  severely      |     killed  someone      |   been  forced  to  kill  someone   |      had  an  attempt  on  your  life   |      made  an  attempt  on  your  own  life      |      lost  someone      |      loved  someone      |      watched  a  loved  one  die      |      failed  to  save / help  a  loved  one   |      felt  helpless   |      watched  your  world  die / disappear      |      had  your  life’s  work  stolen / destroyed      |      gone  without  food  for  over  three  days      |      gone  without  sleep  for  over  three  days      |   been  tortured / questioned      |      been  shot      |      been  stabbed      |      been  poisoned      |      been  held  prisoner     |      been  trapped   |      been  buried  alive      |      been  held  hostage      |     held  someone  hostage      |      been  stuck  in  a  different  world / universe / time      |      been  abused  by  someone  who  should  have  loved / appreciated / valued  you      |      had  a  panic  attack      |      had  night  terrors      |      been  in  a  car  accident     |      lost  your  job      |      lost  a  fight   |      had  sex  with  a  stranger   |      been  divorced      |      been  abandoned      |      passed  out  from  pain      |      cried  yourself  to  sleep      |      spent  a  whole  day  in  bed      |      hurt  yourself      |   taken  your  anger  out  on  yourself   |      taken  your  anger  out  on  someone  you  love      |     been  used    |      been  manipulated      |      felt  used      |      manipulated  someone  else   |      had  your  memories / mind  wiped / stolen   or  tampered  with      |      been  taken  over  by  a  hostile  force      |      been  terrified   |      played  a  cruel  game  on  someone      |      been  forced  to  smile      |      felt  too  many  things  at  once   |      laughed  when  you  felt  like  crying      |      been  in  denial      |      been  denied      |      faced  your  demons

tagged by: @a-neverending-story

tagging: @thedevil-diabolical | @h3lls-bells | @roman-demigod | and whoever wants to. You can tag me if you want. I like reading these things.

[arasanwar]