In February 2026, the distinctive hum of a tattoo machine echoed through the small town of Gisborne on the northeast coast of New Zealand’s North Island. Master Mark Kopua, 64, was intently working on a design on his nephew Desmond Horomia’s arm. But this was no ordinary tattooing session – it was ta moko, a sacred ritual that for the Māori people signifies far more than just body art. Relatives gathered around the artist, observing a process they considered sacred.