New Zealand Cultural Dance

Aubree Monson & Danielle Ashby

Kapa HakaKapa=Row

Haka=Dance

Taparahihttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J94x3sgI_Ho

• Taparahi Legend• Taparahi=Haka

performed without weapons

• Most performed Haka… like the ‘Ka Mate!’

• Few tribes perform the full ‘Ka Mate!’

Ka Mate!• Chanting, stomping, clapping, and slapping create the rhythm of the dance

“Will I die! Will I die!

Will I live! Will I live!

(Repeat)

This is the hairy man who fetched the sun

and caused to shine again.

One upward step, another upward step

An upward step

The sun shines!”

Expression of the Eyes

• Pukana=Dilation of the eyes

• Whakatea=Showing the whites of the eyes

• Used to intimidate and show intensity of dancers

• Takes years of practice… exercises done to master technique

Facial Expressions• Expressions of the eyes

and tongue are key components of what makes a “good” haka a “great” haka

• Weru=Pouting or projecting the lips

• Potete=A grimace

• Used to taunt the enemy and emphasize the importance of certain words being chanted

Maori Tattoo• Moko Patterns

• Personal identity and expression

• Men: Showed rank or status• Left side=father’s

ancestry• Right side=mother’s

ancestry

• Women: Usually outlined upper lips or chin mojo (most popular)

Haka Peruperu

• Peruperu=Haka performed with weapons

• The proper war dances warriors perform before battle and to celebrate victories

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qvubN_sMl6Y

• Still done today…• WWI & WWII

3 Types of War Dances

• Wairangi Legend• Haka Peruperu: The Warriors jump with

legs tucked under them• Haka Puha: Prepare warriors for battle• Haka Tutugarahu: Waikato war dance to

prepare for battle

Women and the Haka

• Very Dominant Roles• Restricted to hip

movement and expression of the eyes

• Not allowed to vocalize• Controversy today

about women’s role• Vocalizing• Leading• Is it too masculine?• First to do it

according to legend

Tokelau Fatele

Origination• No record or memory of the history of the

dance• Nothing documented until the 1920’s• Two Ideas:

• Introduced to Tokelau from Tuvalu• Originated under the missionary influence

as “action songs” to illustrate and teach Bible stories.

Pokihi: the rhythm behind Fatele

• Drum-box and small group of instrumentalists• The “Voice” of the Pokihi

• Western musical assumption: melody instruments - “voices” and drums - “sound.” Polynesian drums communicate messages to dancers.

• The tin “apa” - Tokelauans from Nukunonu use least, because Roman Catholics have least exposure to it.

Tempo Accelerations• Attainment of high speed -

raising the pitch, increasing the volume, greater emphasis with dance, accelerating the tempo

• Group leader and Pokihi • Vava=fast Vavava=getting

faster • Playing technique - interval of

third• “lua ki te tolu” - two and

three• “tahi ki te lua” - one and two • “toe tahi” - repeat once

more

Tu, the Stance • Fundamental to the

technique of Fatele; “symbolically important”

• Men’s: feet apart, knees bent, legs rotated outward, friendly competition

• Women’s: feet and knees together, no rotation of legs, hips very pronounced, sinuous movement

Interpretations • 1. The excitement of of the acceleration is more striking

because of the calmness that precedes it. • Only elders in community express themselves forcefully

• 2. Controlled, gradual, but exciting and wild accumulation of speed. • Increase in speed is directed by the leader and pokihi

drummers. • 3. Used to interpret the dance in sexual terms, but now

have disregarded this notion. • NO love songs; public affection- parents and children

Vocals during Fatele• Always spontaneous, never

planned• Encouragement for others

to excel • Fakamatagia - “inspiration”

- drums inspire • Women - high pitched yelp

with flick of the head and smile

• Men - produce deeper sound

• ENTHUSIASM

Fatele Text • First element to be created• Name taken from the first line of text; gestures taken from text• Written for particular occasion • Subjects are limitless - NO LOVE• Haiku-like: awakens memories and produces resonances form

the briefest encounters• Sometimes text is important, or something irrelevant functioning • Ihaia and daughter - 127 fatele texts • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LsQczxz_jbs

Examples of text: Tale of Alo

Toga aua te piha

Toga aua te vaia

Ka ke ko takuatua

E he maki atua

E he maki tagata

Ka he maki e faha

Lava ko ia

East wind stop the noise

East wind stop the commotion

I will explain to you

It is not a spiritual sickness

It is not a human sickness

But a sickness of the mind

That’s all.

Choreography • Lower body stance and rhythm

marking same for all • Tala (gestures) different for each

text• Hand, upper body, and head

• Slowness and languid quality - difficult for beginners; distinguishing factor

• Movements become firmer, bigger, and more explicit in dynamics• Amplified gestures: changes in

direction of whole body, dropping to one knee, or stepping a full circle

Choreography continued

• Dance with too many gestures - NOT PLEASING• Flapping bird - Tuli

• Alternate laterally - left to right- - or move in sequence from low (waist height) or high (shoulder or head)

• One to four gestures in a line• Tagi “crying” and pehe “singing”• Same gestures:

• Women’s - smoother and closer to the body • Men’s - more angular and spread out

Traditional Dress • Visible sign of the unity of the

dancers• Titi - fiber skirt - both genders• Singlet - worn by women• Flowers and leaves• Scented coconut oil • Head ornaments: flowers, leaves,

moemoe, the tooth fern, bows on biceps and ankles (tau-vae)

• Head and Neck-emphasis of ornamentation

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Xh3Vt1Id30

Poi

Poi Balls

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gt35JAg3aXo

• Strength and Recreation

• Made from flax strings• Women = Weaving• Men = Training for

battle

Sources• Gardiner, Wira. Haka A Living Tradition . 2nd edition.

Auckland: A Hodder Moa Book, 2007. Print. • Whitmore, Robbie. New Zealand In History. N.p., 24 Mar

2014. Web. 23 Mar 2014. <http://history-nz.org/about.html>.

• Thomas, Allan. New Song and Dance From the Central Pacific. New York: Pendragon Press, 1-170. Print.

• Hemana, Daisy. "History of Maori POI in New Zealand." Home of Poi. http://www.homeofpoi.com/lessons_all/teach/History-of-Maori-POI-in-New-Zealand-34_293_1947, n.d. Web. 24 Mar 2014.