Often these tattoos covered the whole face and were a symbol of rank, social status, power and prestige for the Maori people. Ta Moko is a visual language which connects the person who has it to his “whakapapa”. Whakapapa is the family, it’s the genealogical tree, so there is nothing which links religion to Ta Moko. Ta Moko symbolises identification with their origins. It is considered to be beautiful but ferocious because they have to frighten their enemies. The Maori facial tattoo was used as a kind of “identification card”.