New Zealand - Maori People

New Zealand: Maori People

The Māori people are much like any other native group of people. Colonizers came in tried to change the culture and people but here we are today and the culture is thriving more than ever. The Māori lost most of their land through European colonization during 1800’s-1900’s. “In 1860, Māori still held onto most of their land, except for a few areas, particularly Wellington, Wairarapa, Hawke’s Bay and parts of Northland. The 1860s saw confiscations of huge areas by the government and large areas of land began to be lost through the effect of the Native Land Court. The period between 1890 and 1920 saw a boom in government land purchases, despite Māori protests” (Introduction to Māori Culture). By the of 1937, there was very little land that was left in Māori ownership. Although many Māori have lost their land, there are also a number of Māori tribal groups that are in negotiations with the government to settle their historical grievances or any wrong doing that has happened to them (Introduction to Māori Culture). Today many Māori live in urban areas, away from their ancestral tribal areas, but their marae remains a part of their life. “The Marae, sacred open meeting area, generally situated in front of the "whare runanga", communal meeting house, is the area of greatest mana, the place of greatest spirituality; the place that heightens people's dignity, and the place in which Māori customs are given ultimate expression.” (Whitmore) The Māori are very passionate about their culture and still incorporate it in their everyday lifestyles. Over the past couple of decades, the Māori culture has been thriving, the Māori population had grown by 5.9% over the previous seven years (Introduction to Māori Culture). Nearly half of Māori speakers are under the age of 25 years old, that’s 21% of the Māori population (Introduction to Māori Culture). The Māori are the indigenous people of New Zealand; the Kiwis are the people who are from/live in New Zealand but are not Māori.  One in seven people (598,605) in New Zealand were Māori, they make up 15% of the New Zealand’s population. With the Māori population growing in numbers, the passion for their culture is as well.

The younger generation is being more exposed to the Māori culture and traditions. More and more schools in New Zealand are Maori immersion schools, which means Maori is the language that is used to teach and school lessons/work have traditions incorporated into them. In New Zealand dance is a way of life and communication for them. Dance is one of the first forms of communication. It allows them to speak with their body before they actually have a conversation with someone. To the Maori dance is vital for survival. It is so deeply rooted and interconnected with their culture and lifestyle. If you did not dance or learn about dance in the Maori culture, then you would not thrive. Today’s Maori youth are taught how certain traditions can be practiced in modern society or in their everyday lives.

The origins of the Haka are rooted to the use of it before war. New Zealand has grown immersed with the haka even after its first encounters between the European and Māori people. The haka is performed by men and women. They both have different mannerisms and facial expressions. The men will slap themselves and have a crazed look in their eyes and stick their tongue out. They will also move their whole body. The women only move the upper part of their body, they mostly move their hands by making them look as if they are shaking. They also have a crazed look in their eyes but the women frown instead of sticking out their tongue. According to legend, the haka was derived from the sun of god Ra. He had two wives: Hine-raumati, who was the essence of summer, and Hine-takurua, the essence of winter. Ra and Hine-raumati lay together and gave birth to a son called Tanerore. On hot summer days it is possible to see the light dancing. Legend has it that this is Hine-raumati's son, Tanerore, performing for his mother and the wiriwiri or trembling shimmer is today reflected in the trembling of the haka performer's hands (“The Haka”). Legend has it that the first use of the haka in the natural world was attributed to the chief Tinirau and some of his women. Tinirau wanted revenge for the killing of a pet whale, so he sent a hunting party of women to find the man responsible, an old tohunga or priest called Kae. The women didn't know what Kae looked like, but they knew he had uneven teeth that overlapped. When the women arrived at Kae's village, they performed the haka, which forced a smile/ showing of teeth from the men in order to uncover Kae's identity. Kae was captured and taken back to Tinirau's village where he was killed (“The Haka”). “Haka” literally translates to “fiery breath”.  The haka is a war dance because it is performed as a pre-battle challenge to their enemies. But in today’s society it is used to express or show the Maori’s culture. One of the most famous modern use of the haka is from the All Blacks rugby team. The Haka has come to symbolize the power of the All Blacks and their status in the world of rugby. The team leaves an impression of invincibility and ruthlessness. It also has become a unique form of national expression. All over New Zealand, new hakas are created to symbolize and express different meanings (“The Haka”).

The Māori word ‘kapa’ means to stand in a row or rank, and haka is a dance. The term ‘kapa haka’ means a group or groups standing in rows to perform traditional Māori dances, accompanied by sung or chanted words. The Kapa haka is both an ancient and a living art form. Contrary to popular belief, haka is not only a war dance. There are many different types of haka, each appropriate for a different occasion. According to haka and Māori-language expert Tīmoti Kāretu, the haka provides a platform for its composer to ‘vent his spleen, to sing someone’s praises, to welcome his guests, to open a new meeting house or dining hall, to pay his respects to the dead, to honor his ancestors, to teach his traditions to the succeeding generations (Smith). Each of these various haka’s all draw onto the performers mana (energy). Waiata (song) is the central element of kapa haka. Waiata is used between Māori’s to transfer knowledge and history through song and music. The traditional functions of papa haka were for women to the haka with a more melodious tune. Kapa Haka’s are different from the war hakas because it incorporates a melody and instruments like poi balls or spears are often used. The legend of one of the earliest kapa haka is very similar to the origins