The art form of tā moko (tattoo) is treasured amongst the Māori people as an ancestral birthright, traditionally utilised as initiatory rituals of transition ranging from puberty to warriors of rank initiations, to graduations through whare-wānanga (schools of learning) and transitions into new societal responsibilities. Even post-mortem tattooing was undertaken as an act of veneration (Robley, 1998; Roth, 1901). Imperial colonisation interrupted these rituals, exacting generational impacts spiritually, psychologically and physically. This thesis contributes to the revitalisation and enhancement of moko as rites of passage (RoP) for Ngāti Awa and poses the question: How does reinstating moko as rites of passage across various life milestones benefit the people of Ngāti Awa? This thesis also explores the generational impacts of the calculated removal of these rituals.