Maori people consider tattoo art as sacred, and it is taken as an important marker of the wearer's identity. The move follows local media reports that the filters were proliferating on social media.

Facial tattoos have been a part of Maori culture for centuries, a sacred marker of the wearer's genealogy and heritage. But one woman's striking chin design - or moko - has generated huge debate ...

The word tattoo comes from the Tahitian word "Tatau" in traditional Maori society ... Unlike the modern fashion of body art, traditional Polynesian tattoos were a powerful means of communication ...