hummingcrow: one squall voice » Kapa Haka

Farewell

cherylcolan — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 07:30:37 +0000

As the performing arts troupe prepared to leave for the evening, they explained that they wanted to sing a final song in honor of our hosts. To “sing for their supper” as Mark puts it. As if they hadn’t earned it already! It just so happens they chose my favorite song, and you’ll hear Jo and me singing along – it couldn’t be helped, despite the fact I don’t know all the words. When I watch this video I just tear up. This night was such an amazing experience. I’ll remember it my whole life, and beyond.

Finally, 12 posts later, we have reached the end of the videos depicting how I spent a few hours on June 28, 2006 at Puniho Pa Marae in the Taranaki region of Aotearoa (New Zealand). Understand that I left for this journey about three days after Vloggercon, and was all fired up to document my trip. To force myself to remain in the moment, I took only three miniDV tapes with me. I had to capture video every night, or lose the ability to record more. But after this particular night, I couldn’t keep up, so this has been sitting on a hard drive since 2006.

I’m so glad I could finally share it. You have no idea.

Celebration

cherylcolan — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 07:30:34 +0000

Phew! After all the fun, our gracious teachers sang for us again in celebration of our shared accomplishment. Lots of the audience sang along as well. This truly chokes me up. There is so much power in these voices.

Haka Performance

cherylcolan — Sun, 16 Dec 2007 07:30:09 +0000

You saw us learn it, now see us perform our haka for the group. I think we gave ‘em their money’s worth!

I should mention we were gently told later that women do not stick out their tongues when they pukana. This wasn’t mentioned during our learning because the evening was all in fun. But our Maori friends told us afterward so that, should we visit other marae, we would not do something that might be offensive or embarrassing.

Sticks

cherylcolan — Sat, 15 Dec 2007 07:30:18 +0000

Next up, group two. They learned a rhythm game with sticks! Well, “learned” may be too strong, but they sure had fun trying! In their defense, I’ve tried this. It really hurts when you miss and smack your face or knuckles with a flying stick. You get a little jittery. And they probably did better before the crowd started “helping” by cheering them on. Rowdy good times!

Poi

cherylcolan — Fri, 14 Dec 2007 07:30:24 +0000

This cracks me up! My very favorite moment is when the group leader asks for someone to come up front, and my dear friend Wendy is “volunteered” by her mom, Linda, my friend and leader of our group. So funny. And my other favorite thing is seeing Noah, the young man twirling poi in the back, next to the guitarist. You have to understand that Noah is utterly hapless – and I say this with the utmost love and respect. If there is a penny on the ground, Noah can trip over it. Hapless like that. Yet here he is, twirling poi without becoming hopelessly entangled or whacking himself on the head. It’s like a miracle!

So this is the final performance by one of the groups we split into. I think they did a great job! It’s not easy learning to twirl poi if you didn’t do it as a child. Your wrists just aren’t that flexible. But this group did a wonderful job, and performed with joy and enthusiasm.

Performances continue tomorrow – stay tuned!

Learning a Haka

cherylcolan — Fri, 14 Dec 2007 03:27:37 +0000

So after a few performances for us, the troupe decided we should perform for them! But before we could, we needed to be taught. They divided us, the guests, into three groups, and taught each group a different performance piece, then brought us back into the main hall for a little friendly competition for the entertainment of our hosts. My group got to learn a haka!

I gave my camera to my Maori photographer friend, Jo Tito, who shot great footage of us learning to haka. I love that she also shot the crowd observing us – it looks like they had a good time! I had about ten minutes of great footage and only cut it down to 5:30 – mainly because I want anyone from our group to be able to use this video to re-learn this haka. If our Aotearoa friends visit the U.S. we can welcome them in proper style!

Don’t worry, I’ve got all the final performances coming up next, and then some!

You’ve go to hand it to this “Sharing Cultures, Connecting Communities” international travel course. Where else would you find this diverse group from the U.S. all playing together, cooperatively, in such a spirit of love and respect. There are over seven cultural groups represented, including Choctaw, Euchee-Creek, Navajo, Mexican, Spanish, European and Maori. And I know I’m forgetting Jim’s tribal heritage – one of the tribes whose lands straddles the Canadian/U.S. border if I recall correctly.

A Proper Haka

cherylcolan — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 21:56:13 +0000

This is the group performing a haka. This is not a war dance, though some haka can be war dances. I don’t know the words, but I think this performance is an overall expression of community pride as well as an entertainment for us, the guests. From what I understand, each performer is encouraged to express his or her feelings through their facial expressions and movements. I love that the women are every bit as fierce as the men, though their role is mainly one of support in this performance. I wish this video conveyed the full incredible energy generated in the room. You’ll just have to turn up your volume to approximate it!

Speechmaking and Song

cherylcolan — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 19:48:07 +0000

This video continues the performance group’s greeting to the audience. It’s a lot like the experience of Powhiri (the Maori ceremony to welcome visitors to their community). Specifically this segment is comparable to whaikorero (speechmaking) and waiata (song). You can learn about the kawa (protocol), parts and significance of Powhiri by exploring NewZealand.com.

Mark does a great job as an orator. Though we do not understand the Maori language, the intent of his speech is crystal clear. He helps us with his gestural language and his facial expressions. A waiata (song) always follows such a speech. It means that the singers support what has been said.

This is something I love about the Maori people I met. They are committed to preserving their language and culture, which they do for their children by immersing them in it. That means no compromise with respect to te reo (the Maori language). The Maori have the utmost respect for their guests, but they do not pause to interpret for them during formal greetings like this one. They trust in themselves that the spirit of their intent will come through, and they trust in you to take it in, to get it.

You may think the video is too long at over four minutes, but I challenge you to value another culture and language enough to watch and really listen. There are ideas being expressed for which English has no words. Therefore this moment is a treasure beyond measure.

Ooh! I found the words to this song.

Ehara i te Mea

Ehara i te mea
NÅ naianei te aroha
NÅ ngÄ tÅ«puna
I tuku iho, i tuku iho
Te whenua, te whenua
He oranga mÅ te iwi
NÅ ngÄ tÅ«puna
I tuku iho, i tuku iho

Entrance

cherylcolan — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 00:13:52 +0000

This video was recorded on June 28, 2006. It features a wonderful Maori performance group, and I’m kicking myself that I can’t remember their name. The leader, Dave, who is blowing the conch shell and isn’t wearing traditional dress, gave me his business card, and I know it’s around here somewhere, so when I find it, I’ll update this post with the group’s name and a link if possible.

Anyway, my travel group was made part of the “home crowd,” and given shelter at Puniho Pa Marae, and the dance troupe is seen here entering as welcome guests. In this video they are performing, and the next video will show the traditional way Maori groups enter one another’s communities. Over the next few days I’ll be showing several more videos from this evening. The performers split us into 3 groups, taught us each a different skill, and then we all performed for our hosts. It was an evening of much laughter, sharing and love.

I spent time with this troupe in 2004 and was thrilled to see them again. They are amazing and very giving. I’m planning to start a little fund raiser to help them come to the U.S. and visit local tribal lands. I also hope to help them book some performance gigs – anyone engaging them will get more than their money’s worth.