Inspired Patterns of my Māori Culture: Māori Motifs

Honouring Tūpuna Through Contemporary Māori Pattern Design

The Puhoro Collection — Contemporary Māori Pattern Design Inspired by Tā Moko

The Puhoro Collection draws inspiration from the traditional tā moko pattern worn from the hip down the leg to the calf. Traditionally worn by Māori warriors, puhoro reflects strength, movement, and mastery. Its sweeping curvilinear forms reference training in water—the feeling of waves lapping and flowing across the body, echoing speed, agility, and connection to the elements.

In Aotearoa, tā moko holds deep cultural significance, maintained through generations using uhi—handmade chisels shaped from albatross bone. As an Uhi tā moko practitioner grounded in both historical and contemporary practice, I carry a personal connection to this artform and the stories it embodies.

The Puhoro Collection takes the foundational building blocks of puhoro design and reinterprets them into intricate modern surface patterns. Warm, contemporary colourways bring a fresh visual language to this ancestral design. Not everyone can wear puhoro on their skin, but through fabric, wallpaper, and homeware, this pattern can be part of everyday life—celebrating culture in ways that are wearable, livable, and inclusive.

This collection will continue to grow over time, expanding the narrative of cultural expression and adding new chapters to my evolving creative world.

Happy to talk about licencing, size and colour combinations. If you want to see more designs, head over to my spoonflower shop.