Fern Ngatai
ta moko tattoo artist
Ngāti Porou,Tainui, Pākehā
I was born and raised in Tāmaki Makaurau, west Auckland on the whenua of Te Kawerau ā Maki. My dream was to be a dancer. I have a strong background in dance, winning titles and teaching overseas. But my true calling led me to mahi toi and tā moko. I fell in love with our traditional carvings, how they tell a story by just looking at them. From a young age, I knew I would follow a path of mahi toi.
I started an apprenticeship in 2018 at Sunset Tattoo studio under the korowai of Tristan Marler who kept a close eye on me and had a lot of influence on my style. I began tattooing as an apprentice in 2019.
I’m inspired by… Connection. Movement. Colour. Culture. Storytelling. Listening. Manifesting. Whānau. Friendship. Creating. Identify.
I describe my style as crisp, black and sharp. I hope my mahi makes you feel connected to your tīpuna and more like yourself in your own skin. Working with the flow of your body is important to me. My style is elegant, bold and powerful, making you feel expensive.
My approach to moko is to connect with you and share in conversation and stories. Most of all, I hope moko helps you connect with yourself. For you to feel embodied in your own skin, claiming all of your identity.
To bring your moko to life, together we’ll explore:
What do you want your moko to represent?
Why do you want moko now?
Where on your body do you want moko and why?
