Chief Petty Officer Rawiri Barriball has pushed back at online reports that he needed Navy approval to wear his mataora in 2017. While guidelines at the time suggested formal clearance, Barriball says it was simply a conversation between him and his leaders.
Multiple posts on social media have circulated over the last two weeks, citing 2017 New Zealand Navy reports describing Barriball as the first person in the Navy to be permitted to wear a mataora.
Te Ao Māori News has not seen a reputable outlet publish new reporting on the matter since 2021.
Barriball says he was caught off guard by the story trending online.
“The last two weeks, it’s been a lot of stuff on Facebook and Instagram. I’m getting tagged every day, and it’s just blown up again. It’s old news, it was done in 2017, and it’s come back again.”
Approval not needed
A 2021 NZ Herald article about Melanie Huata-Lucas, one of the first wahine to wear moko kauae in the Navy, stated: “Barriball at the time served 20 years as a chief petty officer seaman combat specialist before receiving his markings, and was the first in the Navy to get clearance for his moko.”
Barriball rejects that framing, saying it was never about formal clearance, but rather a discussion with his leaders about receiving moko kanohi.
“I think it was a mixture of words. The one that got me was the approval to receive the gift of moko kanohi. It wasn’t so much an approval; it was a process that myself and the Navy had to go through.”
Current guidelines
New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) permits tattoos, including large or culturally significant ones, as long as they are considered appropriate for a military environment and consistent with NZDF values and image.
In 2019, the Royal New Zealand Navy updated its appearance guidelines; however, they make no specific mention of moko kanohi.
Barriball says in 2017, it was a wānanga between him and the Navy, with manaakitanga the key crux of those conversations.
“When I let the hierarchy know about my intentions, it was pretty smooth sailing, to tell you the truth. And like I said, the Navy just wanted my whānau and kaumātua to be involved in the process, so I was safe, and the Navy was safe.”
Changing attitudes
Barriball represents changing attitudes within our defense forces, with tikanga Māori and tāmoko becoming more common.
Barriball says that moko is here to stay.
“A lot more people are wearing moko kauae and moko kanohi now within the Navy. And it’s something that’s gonna be here forever, bro.”
“There’s a few of us now, both male and female, who wear our ancestral markings.’
“Not only in the Navy, but in the Army and the Air Force now, too. It’s only getting bigger, and more common to see someone in the Defence Force wearing our traditional markings. It shouldn’t be frowned upon at all. I think it’s a good thing.”
Te Ao Māori News reached out to the Royal New Zealand Navy and has yet to receive a reply.
