Information AboutHaka |
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| māori | |
| war dances | |
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There are various types of war haka - one performed without weapons, usually to express public or private feelings, is known as the "haka Taparahi "; another, the Peruperu , is performed with weapons. In former times, the peruperu was performed before a Battle . Its purpose was to invoke the god of war and to discourage and frighten the enemy. It involved fierce facial expressions and grimaces, poking out of the tongue, eye bulging, grunts and cries, and the waving of weapons. If the haka was not performed in total unison, this was regarded as a bad omen for the battle. Often, warriors went naked into battle, apart from a plaited flax belt around the waist. The aim of the warriors was to kill all the members of the Enemy war party, so that no survivors would remain to undertake revenge. In today's environment, however, haka are often performed as a mark of respect for distinguished visitors, or to express a sense of the importance of an occasion. The most famous modern use is its regular performance by New Zealand 's national rugby team, the All Blacks , who perform a haka before international matches not only as a reflection of the importance of the game that is about to be played but also to motivate themselves and their supporters to greater efforts; indirectly then, as in days of old on the Māori battlefield, they are paying a compliment to the perceived skills of their opponents. Other sports that perform haka before commencing a game include Rugby League (the Kiwis ), Australian Rules Football (the Falcons ) and Basketball ( Tall Blacks ) teams. The haka also performed at certain state functions, such as the welcoming of foreign dignitaries. THE ALL BLACKS' HAKA See Also: Ka mate haka The haka performed by the All Blacks (the Kamate haka) dates to 1810 when Chief Te Rauparaha of the Ngāti Toa Iwi (clan or tribe) was being chased by enemies. He hid in a food-storage pit under the skirt of a woman. Because this was such a shameful thing to do, Te Rauparaha thought he would be safe. He climbed out to find someone standing over him, who, instead of killing Te Rauparaha, turned out to be another chief friendly to Te Rauparaha. In relief Te Rauparaha performed a haka with the words (translated from Māori)— ''It is death, it is death: it is life, it is life; this is the man who enabled me to live as I climb up step by step toward sunlight''. These words are still used today. Even though the Ka Mate haka might seem inappropriate to be used as inspiration, the All Blacks are believed to have first used the Ka Mate haka in 1906 . THE 'NEW' ALL BLACKS' HAKA Before a Tri Nations match against South Africa on August 28 2005 , the All Blacks unexpectedly introduced a radically new haka. ''Kapa O Pango'', written by Derek Lardelli of Ngati Porou , it featured an extended and aggressive introduction by team captain Tana Umaga and was highlighted by its more aggressive climax: each player performing a throat-slitting action directed at the opposing team. The All Blacks went on to win the match 31 to 27. The new haka is said to have been over a year in the making, and was created in consultation with many experts in Māori culture. It will serve as a complement to ''Ka Mate'' rather than a replacement, to be used for 'special occasions'. The words to ''Kapa O Pango'' are more specific to the rugby team than ''Ka Mate'', referring to the warriors in black and the silver fern {Link without Title}
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