Mai Time - Body Art Special (excerpts)

It wasn't all lower back tattoos and navel piercings in the early 2000s. In these excerpts from a 2006 Mai Time body art special, presenter Marama Emery gets her first ever henna tattoo from Auckland henna artist Usha Raman. Usha and her husband Sunder were the first to introduce the Indian tradition to the Kiwi public, after they noticed a need in 1997. Marama also meets body piercer Erin O’Leary of Eastside Tattoo in Howick to talk skin adornment, and gets her conch (inner ear) pierced. Finally a series of vox pop style questions provide a diverse range of views on skin enhancements. 

.... henna itself is a very old art. They believe it is a 3000-year-old art...

– Henna artist Usha Raman

Key Cast & Crew

Anahera Higgins

Producer

Glenn Clough

Sound Mix

Derek Wooster

Executive Producer

Ngaire Coley

Studio Director

Marama Emery

Presenter

Kirrily Denny

Senior Director