Jack Karetai-Barrett has completed his tā moko just weeks before leaving New Zealand for what he describes as the learning opportunity of a lifetime in Singapore.

The 16-year-old had the design inked onto his right forearm over three sessions, taking nine hours across several months.

He said getting the tā moko before leaving was important because it allowed him to take a part of his culture with him.

“I wanted to bring a bit of New Zealand to Singapore and to the rest of the world … show my culture to other people,” Jack said.

He said his new school placed a strong focus on students sharing their cultures, and he hoped his tā moko would help him connect with people from around the world.

“It’s going to be good to spark up some conversations with people,” he said.

While the process was painful at first, Jack said it became easier over time.

“On my first round, I thought that it was the worst thing I ever did to myself. I thought, ‘Why have I got myself into this?’ But when I got my hand touched up again, I realised, ‘Oh, it’s perfectly fine’.”

The work is now complete and will be fully healed before Jack leaves New Zealand on August 4.

Dr Turumakina Duley, who completed the tā moko, said the process represented a rite of passage into adulthood.

He explained that the placement on the forearm symbolised taking on the responsibilities of protecting family and community while also giving Jack a lasting connection to home as he travelled overseas.

“It’s about taking his place of belonging with him wherever he goes,” he said.

Duley, who holds a PhD in tā moko, also completed the moko kauae of Jack’s mother, Mawera Karetai.

Karetai said watching her son receive his tā moko was a privilege and marked an important stage in his life.

She said it symbolised Jack’s transition into becoming a young Māori man preparing to go out into the world.

“Another step to my adulthood,” Jack said.

Jack is travelling to the United World College Southeast Asia in Singapore on a scholarship, where he will complete his senior years of schooling.

He is excited about experiencing a new culture and taking advantage of the opportunities available.

“I’m really looking forward to all the food,” he said.

“You can go on a big journey. I think there was a 10-day bike ride across China that one of the groups did, and I really want to do that.”

As he prepares to leave home, Jack says his completed tā moko will remain a reminder of where he comes from while representing who he is as he begins the next stage of his journey.