New Zealand: The Haka

New Zealand: the Haka

New Zealand is definitely not the biggest country, or has the strongest economy, but it for sure is a beautiful country full of history culture, despite of the time that keep moving, New Zealand still keep a strong relationship with its ancestors and cultures.

Maoris take a big place in the history and still today. We see tribal tattoos everywhere, A lot of non-Maori people are getting moko designs tattooed on their faces as well as other parts of their body, many of which have improper significance. Robbie Williams and Mike Tyson have gotten Maori tattoos. But they don't necessary know where it come from. It is the same with the rugby team: the All Blacks, they are famous for their performance at the beginning of each of their game, but what is it exactly. New Zealand is well known for its Rugby team and its Haka, but what we do not know is that the Haka is older than what we think, the Maoris started it.

New Zealand is composed of two principal islands and many smaller ones. The northern island is very mountainous and has a volcano and a geothermic activity. Its highest point is the Mont Ruapehu with almost reaches 9200 feet. The northern island is the biggest, it is divided by the Southern Alps, and the Mont Cook is the highest mountain with 12316 feet situated in the Southern Island.

There are three very well known small islands, the Stewart Island, the Waiheke Island and the Great Barrier Island.

New Zealand's area is 103,738 square miles, which is a little less than Japan and slightly bigger than the state of Colorado.New Zealand is relatively isolated from other countries; its closest neighbor is Australia.

Wellington is the capital, situated in the center. There are 4,105,327 inhabitants; the majority of the population, are Anglo Celtics, the Maoris are the second ethnic groups most represented, their culture still has a very important role at a national level.

Christianity is the most common religion. Anglicans (Church of England), Presbyterians and Catholics constitute the first religious communities of the country, followed by the Methodists and Baptist. The religions Ratana and Ringatu; a Maoris form of Christianity, have many followers. New Zealand also counts Hindouists, Moslems and Jews. English and the Maori are the two official languages. However you will mostly hear English. It is taught today in the schools. Maoris speak English, but on certain occasions, it can prove to be found useful to know the Maori a little. It is the language generally spoken in the maraes, which is a meeting place often for ceremonies, and many places have Maori names.

To Europeans (Pakeha) and Maoris, the two dominant cultural groups, are added more recent immigrants: Polynesians, Indians and Chinese. If Pakehas stick as a whole to perpetuate the British tradition, the assertion of the Maori identity and the arrival of new cultural influences opened the New Zealand society more largely on the world. Maoris live in great majority in the cities and adopted the European way of life. But they are increasingly numerous to learn their language and to restore the bond with the marae of their tribe.

Beyond their cultural differences, all Iwis (tribe) share the same love for sport and leisure of full nature. They are savagely attached to the independence of their country.

Because of its nice weather and great spaces, water, sky and earth are as many elements as the New Zealanders explore and defy with passion New Zealand play all the sports you can imagine such as Cricket, Netball, Volleyball, surf, going down the rapids in raft, board, toboggan, canoe, kayak, jet boat or surfing raft, swimming, sailing, skiing; jumpy jumping parachuting, hiking, horse riding... but the most popular sport in New Zealandis rugby.

The national rugby team of New Zealand is one of the best team of the world; it has the best win and loss record of any national team. They hosted and won the Rugby World Cup in 1987.

"Rugby was introduced to Wanganui by A. Drew, the 1870 Nelson club captain, and several members of the Armed Constabulary who were stationed there. The Wanganui club was founded on 20 July 1872. Next came Auckland club (founded in 1870), its members adopting rugby in 1873 after a period of mainly soccer. Thames club followed suit and, when North Shore was formed in June, it too voted for rugby. In 1874 rugby began in the Waikato (Ngaruawahia, Hamilton, and Cambridge having teams), and in Taranaki clubs were established at New Plymouth (Taranaki club) and at Hawera (Egmont club). In this season, too, the game went ahead in Auckland with the Parnell, Grafton, Ponsonby, and Mount Hobson clubs coming into being, with Auckland College and Grammar School taking up the sport. ("Rugby Union Football")

"The first settlers in New Zealand were the Maori who came from Polynesia. The Polynesians were master navigators, using the stars, the direction of sea birds in flight, cloud patterns and the color of the water as guides to make journeys throughout the Pacific Ocean. The great navigator, Kupe was the probably the first man to sight New Zealand around 950 AD and then returned home to tell of his findings." (Maori History) "Around 3500 years ago the Polynesian culture began to expand eastwards from the Bismarck Archipelago. Some Polynesians remained in the central south Pacific, while others moved on past Tahiti, and almost certainly arriving as far as South America, home of the kumara. ("Whitmore")

The East Polynesian ancestors of the Māori were hunters, fishermen, and gardeners. After arriving in New Zealand, Māori had to rapidly adapt their material culture and agricultural practices to suit the climate of their new land. "Maori Culture is distinguished by a rich repertoire of many varied and complex arts, each carried to a high degree of refinement." (Janet Davidson p.69) Many Maori are skilled artists, especially in woodcarving. In the best traditional work, the aesthetic form is not just decoration added on later, but is part of the instrumental purpose of the object. Such a fine work is probably not achieved suddenly by one or two artist bit is the result of a long period of artistic experimentation. It is important to note that the figures in Maori carving, with very rare exceptions, are not religious, but secular. They do not represent idols, he nearest approach to idols were stone figures associated with agriculture. These consist of a wooden peg about 18 inches long with a carved head on the upper end and the lower end pointed so that it can be stuck into the ground. Without any call for their skill, carvers who were really well experienced turned to types of livelihood and all desire to pass on