Mo Naga 🇮🇳

Handpoke & Tribal Tattoo Artist · Ethnographer (Manipur, India)

• •Mo Naga is a contemporary tattoo artist and ethnographer from Manipur, dedicated to preserving the fading tattoo traditions of India's Northeast. Belonging to the Uipo tribe — one of the smallest Naga tribes — he has spent years traveling across the region documenting indigenous tattooing practices. His vision extends toward establishing a Tattoo Garden in Manipur to protect rare plants and herbs traditionally used in tattooing, from tools and pigments to healing.
• •The tattoo traditions of Northeast India are distinct from those found elsewhere in the country. Rooted in hand-tapping techniques, these practices rely on locally sourced natural materials such as thorns, sticks, leaves, and medicinal plants. Although many traditions have declined over recent decades, Mo Naga is helping revive them by collaborating with village elders, learning ancestral techniques, and passing this knowledge to younger generations.
• •Traditional Naga tattoo motifs are deeply inspired by nature — symbols of the sun, moon, plants, birds, and animals — reflecting the spiritual and cultural bond between tribal communities and their environment. Through his work, Mo Naga preserves tattoo practices and encourages renewed appreciation for indigenous heritage, inspiring younger generations through art, graffiti, and contemporary expression.
• •By bridging the past and the present, Mo Naga's work highlights the importance of safeguarding cultural identity while fostering respect for nature and traditional knowledge. His mission shows how tattooing can become a tool for cultural preservation, education, and community empowerment.