Spoilers Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

[pukunui]

Look, I’m not looking to start a fight or claim the moral high ground here.

I get that this scene was meant to be a throwaway line reflecting a 90s trend. I was a teen in the 90s, and while I don't remember any specific tribal tattoo fads, I can think of plenty of other fads that we would consider questionable today, so I would not be surprised if there was one at the time. In that sense, the character having one is historically accurate, yes.

But for me, the issue isn’t the existence of that line; it’s the casualness of how it’s presented. The guy shrugs off having had a Māori-style tattoo like it was a silly haircut he outgrew, with no real acknowledgment of what those tattoos mean within Māori culture.

I know the show wasn’t trying to be offensive, and I’m not calling for it to be erased or censored or anything. But to me it does read as appropriation, not appreciation, precisely because the cultural significance is ignored. That kind of shrugging treatment of other cultures is something we’ve become more aware of in the decades since, and I think it’s fair to look back and say, “Yeah, that part hasn’t aged well.”

I also think it’s OK for us to bring modern perspectives into how we view older media. Consider the disclaimer WotC has put on older official D&D products on the DMs Guild. That’s how growth works: we look at the past with more information and different lenses. Doesn’t mean we can’t still enjoy the show or see its value.

Again, not trying to convince anyone to see it my way — just asking that my perspective be seen as valid too.

 

[Ryujin]

That was not my interpretation.

The guy got a Māori tribal tattoo as a teen because it was a fad but only got it removed so he could get a government contract (making him a “sellout”).

I didn’t get the sense that the character was embarrassed about it. He was just trying to relate to Jadzia.

For those of us in the cultural majority, it would not have felt cringe-worthy at the time. It sure does now!


Firstly, I was a teen in the 90s, and I don’t remember there being a fad for Māori-style tattoos. I acknowledge that doesn’t mean there wasn’t. I just didn’t see it myself.

So the episode may have picking up on a real fashion thing. But I think what makes that moment in DS9 feel awkward now — and why I brought it up — is that it unintentionally shines a light on how casually people used to treat cultural symbols from communities they weren’t part of. And how our attitudes towards that sort of thing have (rightfully) shifted in more recent times.

When paired with the character’s later comment about having just returned from Christchurch where he went skiing on Mt Cook (NZ’s tallest peak, which has no ski fields!), it tells me that the writers had little understanding of New Zealand and Māori culture. They were most likely just throwing in a bit of cultural exoticism, which again, is not something that has aged well.

But look, I’m just saying I found it cringey. I’m not advocating for the scene to be scrubbed from existence or anything. I’m no fan of cancel culture, and I would much prefer to leave “products of their time” unaltered so that people CAN see how attitudes have shifted.

A lot of the stuff in the various Star Trek properties, that involve going back to the (presentish day) past, can be seen as representing an Earth timeline that's slightly different from ours. Sometimes it's just renaming random things to avoid a lawsuit like not naming the guy who finds a timeship "Steve Jobs"

 

[pukunui]

Mānawatia a Matariki!

Since we are talking about Māori culture, today (Friday) is a public holiday here in NZ to celebrate Matariki, the Māori new year.

"Matariki" is the Māori term for the Pleiades star cluster. Māori have traditionally spent the time when the stars are visible to give thanks for the harvest, acknowledge the dead, and release their spirits to become stars. In a more general public holiday sense, it is a time to reflect on the past, celebrate the present, and plan for the future.

 

[bloodtide]

I get that this scene was meant to be a throwaway line reflecting a 90s trend. I was a teen in the 90s, and while I don't remember any specific tribal tattoo fads, I can think of plenty of other fads that we would consider questionable today, so I would not be surprised if there was one at the time. In that sense, the character having one is historically accurate, yes.

It was enough of a trend or fad. The Rock really highlighted this type of tattoo (though his is not Maori) and as always people 'copy' famous people. I do think the tattoos were more popular on the West Coast, even more "around Hollywood"....likely were the writer was from.

But for me, the issue isn’t the existence of that line; it’s the casualness of how it’s presented. The guy shrugs off having had a Māori-style tattoo like it was a silly haircut he outgrew, with no real acknowledgment of what those tattoos mean within Māori culture.

This is accurate. Roughly like 75% of people get things or wear things just as they are "cool", but they don't know or care all about "the culture".

I'd note the character was a "professional news broadcaster", so the idea was he had to get rid of his tattoo to be put on the air.

I know the show wasn’t trying to be offensive, and I’m not calling for it to be erased or censored or anything. But to me it does read as appropriation, not appreciation, precisely because the cultural significance is ignored. That kind of shrugging treatment of other cultures is something we’ve become more aware of in the decades since, and I think it’s fair to look back and say, “Yeah, that part hasn’t aged well.”

To be fair, they were pointing out it was "just a fad" at the time. He got one "just like everyone else". You still see the same things today....

But remember 90's humans are mostly MEANT to be "wrong": it is kind of a plot point of Star Trek.

 

[Zardnaar]

Languages and Communication, Customs, Sex, Religion, Eating Habits, Hierarchical Societies, Parenting you name it I think are all pretty cool things to explore between various species particularly in a setting such as Star Trek, even more so in the melting racial pot of DS9 which it does so well and is celebrated for it. And when things get bizarre even better.
I think watching it through a particular modern lens is a limitation of perspective.


Do you think the Māori's would get offended? Or do you think it was wrong for this friendly straight-laced white guy to exhibit enthusiasm for the Māori culture? @Zardnaar, since you're from New Zealand, what do you think?

@Zardnaar - I know the friendly straight-laced white guys in the New Zealand rugby team perform the Haka and that seems to be well accepted. And you did post a couple of videos of some white guys in bands performing Māori metal which is seeing a small resurgence in the Māori language. Any negative feedback or poor aging there?

Pukunui is a kiwi. The Maori have tattoos anyone can get and ones they regard as exclusive to themselves afaik

Those white guys were Maori afaik. It goes by ancestry here not colour.

Or if a white person gets adopted into an iwi the and inherit their heritage afaik.

So tattoos depend on what they are and who has them.

 

[pukunui]

Pukunui is a kiwi.

I mean, I've lived here long enough, but I haven't applied for citizenship yet ...

Those white guys were Maori afaik. It goes by ancestry here not colour.

While there are lots of Māori who can pass for white, I think there are plenty of actual white All Blacks. Having them perform the haka before a rugby match isn't cultural appropriation, though, because it's officially sanctioned. I imagine the All Blacks have cultural consultants and stuff. They also (almost) always have a Māori lead the haka.

The Rock really highlighted this type of tattoo (though his is not Maori) and as always people 'copy' famous people.

Dwayne is half-Samoan. His traditional Samoan tattoos acknowledge and honor his Pasifika heritage. No cultural appropriation there!

 

[Umbran]

But for me, the issue isn’t the existence of that line; it’s the casualness of how it’s presented. The guy shrugs off having had a Māori-style tattoo like it was a silly haircut he outgrew, with no real acknowledgment of what those tattoos mean within Māori culture.

I know the show wasn’t trying to be offensive, and I’m not calling for it to be erased or censored or anything. But to me it does read as appropriation, not appreciation, precisely because the cultural significance is ignored.

This was Trek. If anything, it was not offhand appropriation, but offhand commentary on the 90s fad of appropriating cultural iconography in tattoos...

 

[Ryujin]

This was Trek. If anything, it was not offhand appropriation, but offhand commentary on the 90s fad of appropriating cultural iconography in tattoos...

Indeed. Trek quite famously soft sells political/cultural commentary, in many cases. At other times it can be as subtle as a baseball bat to the back of the head. Both can appear in a single episode.

EDIT - I can only imagine what a universal translator would make of many Kanji back tattoos.