Skip to main content

All About Haka, Traditional Maori Dance Performed By New Zealand MP

New Zealand's youngest MP, Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke, on Thursday tore up a copy of the contentious Treaty Principles Bill and performed a traditional Maori haka during a House session. This bold move comes almost a year after she went viral for performing a haka during her maiden speech in parliament. The 22-year-old Te Pati Maori MP interrupted the session, ripping apart the bill before breaking into the powerful dance. She was soon joined by others in the public gallery, prompting Speaker Gerry Brownlee to briefly suspend the House.

The Maori Haka

The Maori haka is a traditional performance that holds deep cultural significance for New Zealanders. It is known for its powerful energy, fierce facial expressions (pukana), and physical movements like stamping, hand gestures, and chanting. The haka varies by region, with many telling stories of significant events in a tribe's history. 

Origins and significance

The haka's origins lie in Maori mythology, created by Tane-more, the son of the sun god and the summer maid. It symbolises vitality and energy, representing the spirit of the Maori people. Traditionally, the haka was performed for war, to celebrate achievements, or to welcome guests. Today, it is performed at important occasions like sporting events, weddings, and funerals.

Types of Haka

There are various forms of haka, each with its unique purpose:

  • Peruperu: A war haka performed with weapons to show strength.
  • Ngarahu: A semi-war dance performed to test warriors' readiness.
  • Haka Tui Waewae: A non-combative haka expressing emotions like joy or anger.
  • Ka Mate: Created by Ngati Toa Chief Te Rauparaha, Ka Mate tells the story of his escape from capture and his subsequent rise as a great Maori leader.

The haka gained worldwide fame through New Zealand's All Blacks rugby team, who perform Ka Mate before each game. The performance is meant to assert dominance, energise the team, and honour Maori culture. This ritual has captivated audiences globally.

To experience haka firsthand, you can attend rugby matches or visit places like Rotorua where you can watch live performances or participate in traditional Maori experiences.



from NDTV News-World-news https://ift.tt/5mwazNi

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

It's Official, Kamala Harris Is Democratic Candidate For US Election

US Vice President Kamala Harris effectively secured the Democratic party's presidential nomination Friday, confirming her remarkable rise to party standard bearer in November's showdown against Republican Donald Trump. Kamala Harris was the sole candidate on the ballot for a five-day electronic vote of nearly 4,000 party convention delegates. She will be officially crowned at a Chicago convention later this month. "I am honored to be the presumptive Democratic nominee for President of the United States," Kamala Harris, 59, said on a phone-in to a party celebration after securing enough votes by the second day of the marathon vote. In the two weeks since President Joe Biden ended his reelection bid, Kamala Harris has gained full control of the party. No other Democrats stepped forward to challenge her elevation to the top of the ticket, making her confirmation as the first Black and South Asian woman ever to secure a major party's nomination a formality. The a...
Post a Comment
Read more

Muhammad Now The Most Popular Name For A Baby In Great Britain, Data Shows

427 years after William Shakespeare wrote it for the first time in the great "tragedy" Romeo & Juliet, England is asking the quintessential question - "What's in a name?" - And this time wondering what significance that question might hold in another 42.7 years. The Department of Statistics in the United Kingdom has revealed in its latest dataset that Muhammad is officially the most popular name for a newborn boy in England and Wales. More than 4,600 babies were registered with that name in 2023 - the highest for a boy. Muhammad was the second-most popular name in 2022 as well. Noah, once the most popular name in UK, came a distant second this year, according to the Office for National Statistics or ONS. But the staff at Great Britain's statistical office has in-fact been observing the trend for a while now. Jotting down the most popular names in the UK, besides other important statistics, it revealed that Muhammad has been among the top 10 names for...
Post a Comment
Read more

Pak's ISI Fuelling Unrest In Bangladesh, Claims Sheikh Hasina's Son

Sheikh Hasina, who quit as prime minister and fled Bangladesh, will be back in the country as soon as democracy is restored, his son Sajeeb Wazed Joy said on Thursday and blamed Pakistan's intelligence agency, ISI, for fuelling the ongoing unrest in the country. In an interview with PTI, Mr Joy said that although 76-year-old Sheikh Hasina would return to Bangladesh, it has not yet been decided whether she will be back as a "retired or active" politician. He also asserted that the members of the Sheikh Mujib (Sheikh Mujibur Rahman) family will neither abandon its people nor leave the beleaguered Awami League in the lurch. He expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his government for protecting his mother and appealed to India to help build international opinion and exert pressure to restore democracy in Bangladesh. "Yes, it is true that I had said she wouldn't return to Bangladesh. But a lot has changed in the last two days following continuous...
Post a Comment
Read more