Why this life coach's face tattoo has divided a nation
A New Zealand life coach has been taken to task over her controversial face tattoo and accused of using it to help boost her business.
Sally Anderson, who runs a business called Evolved Leadership, had a “moko kauae” tattooed on her chin several years ago as a symbol of hardship after she was sexually assaulted as a teenager in the 1980’s.
But after images of her chin tattoo surfaced on her business’s website, the life coach was accused of appropriating Maori culture for personal gain.
Mera Lee-Penehira, an associate professor at Te Whare Wananga o Awanuiarangi said it does appear that Ms Anderson’s tattoo was “being used as business branding”, despite her having a Maori husband.
“I do think there’s a level of cultural appropriation and I do think there’s a level of white privilege that’s being displayed here and I think we need to be really cautious about that,” she told the BBC.
She reiterated the importance that Maori people place on face tattoos, saying it represents your family and your tribe.
“The carvings that go on the face or head are also particularly sacred,” Dr Lee-Penehira added.
“It’s not acceptable…You can only have it if you have a genealogy that is Maori.”
Artist Ngaahina Hohaia urged Maori moko artists not to compromise their heritage by tattooing non-Maoris with traditional patterns.
“It’s not hers to have, and not for [the tattoo artist] to have given away,” she wrote on Facebook.
However, not everyone held such disdain for Ms Anderson’s inking.
Jale Uncu, the Studio Manager of Zealand Tattoo parlour in Christchurch and Queenstown, told SBS News the backlash was not warranted.
“I would just say it’s a bit double-handed perhaps. I wouldn’t understand exactly why they would be getting upset about this particular individual when it’s so well spread internationally… all parts of the globe and all ethnic origins,” Ms Uncu said.
Ms Anderson has not spoken publicly about her tattoo.
Yahoo7 News has contacted Ms Anderson and Evolved Leadership for comment.
