Kapa Haka
The term Kapa Haka refers to the performance of the songs and dances of the New Zealand Māori or a group that takes part in such performances. In the Maori language, the word “kapa” stands for “row”, and “haka” is a general term for “dance” in this context.
The modern Kapa Haka contains many aspects of pre-European music and dances, for example Haka and Mōteatea, but has also incorporated Western musical styles and new developments such as the movement song.
Kapa Haka is of great importance in Maori culture. Kapa-haka performances play an important role in many social and official occasions such as greetings, farewells, weddings, sports games, and holidays. Because of its popularity, Kapa Haka has also become an important tool for maintaining Maori culture and language .
Core elements of the Kapa Haka
Wiri
The trembling of the hands that continues throughout the dance, except when the fist is clenched or the fingers are touching another part of the body.
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Wiri is a representation of the shimmer of air on warm days, traditionally known as te haka a Tānerore (the dance of Tānerore). According to oral tradition, the shimmering air is the origin of all dances in Maori culture.
Takahi
The rhythmic stamping of the feet to the beat of the music.
Takahi differs depending on local customs. The most common variant is to lift the right foot off the floor completely, and when it lands on the floor again, the left knee is slightly bent.
Pūkana
The opening of the eyes. Often accompanied by the eyeballs rolling up or down so that only the white part of the eye is visible. In women, the corners of the mouth are also often pulled down and the jaw pulled forward.
Pūkana applies to both men and women and is used to emphasize certain words or expressions. Pūkana plays a particularly important role in the haka.
Whētero
Sticking out the tongue.
Whētero is for men only and is most commonly used during a haka.
Pōtētē
Closing your eyes at certain times during the song.
Pōtētē only applies to women and is usually replaced directly by Pūkana.
Music and dance styles
Kapa Haka consists of a variety of different styles of music and dance. The following disciplines are listed in competitions:
Whakaeke (invasion)
Under competitive conditions, the first part of a Kapa-Haka performance must be a choreographic invasion of the stage. This introduces the group, links the group to their region of origin and usually includes recognition from the hosts. Comments on social issues or memories of deceased individuals are also popular topics. Whakaeke can be a combination of any of the Kapa-Haka disciplines and usually includes both Haka and choral singing.
Mōteatea (traditional chant)
This discipline can also be called waiata tawhito . Mōteatea is a pre-colonial style of singing that is based on the Maori scale and is therefore sung without musical accompaniment and harmonies. The singing is accompanied by spontaneous movements.
Poi
Dancers swing poi , soft balls that hang from the end of a string. Musically, the dance is usually accompanied by a guitar player and harmony singing, as well as by percussion, which occurs when the poi come into contact with different parts of the dancer's body. Poi come in two different sizes: short poi, where the string corresponds to the distance between the fingertips and the wrist; and long poi, where the string corresponds to the distance between the fingertips and the shoulder. Both sizes can be used alone or in pairs. In competitions, poi is rated as a female discipline, but men are not excluded from the poi outside of the competition.
Waiata-ā-ringa (song of movement)
Waiata-ā-ringa were not developed until the beginning of the 20th century by Apirana Ngata and other Maori leaders who aimed to revitalize Maori culture, especially among young people. Thus, the lyrics, which focused on topics such as tradition, farewell, greeting and love, were combined with popular western melodies. The songs were popularized during the First World War when they were performed at benefit concerts and have now taken a permanent place in modern Kapa-Haka performance.
The movements are performed jointly by all dancers and complement the music and meaning of the lyrics. Waiata-ā-ringa use rich harmonies and can be sung a cappella, but mostly rely on guitar accompaniment.
Haka
The haka , perhaps the most famous of the Maori dances, consists of powerful movements emphasized by the frequent use of pūkana and whētero. Traditionally the movements have been spontaneous but modern haka performances are usually choreographic and the movements are synchronized.
There are several types of haka, including the weaponized "Whakatū Waewae" and "Haka Peruperu" , and the most commonly listed "Haka Taparahi" . In competitions, the female role during the haka is limited to supporting singing in the background, but women often play an active role outside of the competition.
Whakawātea (excerpt)
At the end of the performance, the group has to leave the stage with a choreographic excerpt. This discipline is similar to Whakaeke but is used to say goodbye to the audience or to draw attention to a final point.
Waiata Tira (choir singing)
Choral singing is optional in competitions and usually serves as a warm-up song. The physical aspect of these songs is limited to Wiri and Takahi.
Major competitions
Te Matatini o te Rā
The highlight of Kapa Hakas is the national championship, "Te Matatini o te Rā". The biennial competition was founded in 1972 under the name "The Polynesian Festival" (the Polynesian Festival). In the first few years there were between 13 and 15 participating groups but this number has since increased to 41 groups in 2013. The groups qualify for a place at Te Matatini through their performances in regional competitions held in various cities in New Zealand and Australia. The festival lasts three to four days and takes place in a different tribal area each time .
The competition is subject to a fixed structure. The groups must adhere to time limits. If these are exceeded, points will be deducted. In addition to the total price and prizes for each discipline, prizes are also distributed in the following categories: kākahu (clothing), kaitātaki wahine (leader of women), kaitātaki tāne (leader of men), titonga waiata hou (best original composition), and te kairangi o te reo (special achievement in the Maori language).
Primary and secondary schools
These annual competitions run in a similar way to Te Matatini, with both regional and national events. The level of proficiency in secondary schools is very high and some students also take part in Te Matatini.
literature
- Biddle, Te Urikore (2012). The Mediation of Tikanga in Haka Competition. Te Kaharoa , accessed September 15, 2013
- Gardiner, Wira (2007). Haka. Hachette Livre. ISBN 978-1-86971-208-2
- Kāretu, Tīmoti (1993). Haka: te Tohu o te Whenua Rangatira. Reed Books. ISBN 0-7900-0290-6
- Matthews, Nathan. “The Physicality of Māori Message Transmission - Ko te tinana, he waka tuku kōrero”. Arts Online - Te Hāpori o Ngā Toi , accessed September 16, 2013
- Ngata, Reupena and Armstrong, Alan (2002). Māori Action Songs. Reed Books. ISBN 0-7900-0841-6
- Shennan, Jennifer (1984). The Māori Action Song. New Zealand Council for Educational Research. ISBN 0-908567-34-0
Web links
- Te Matatini o te Rā , National Kapa Haka Festival (English)
Individual evidence
- ↑ Shennan, Jennifer (1984). The Māori Action Song. New Zealand Council for Educational Research. Page 39.
- ↑ Biddle, Te Urikore (2012). “The Mediation of Tikanga in Haka Competition”. Te Kaharoa , accessed September 15, 2013.
- ↑ Shennan (1984). Pages 21–27.
- ↑ Rawinia Higgins, Arini Loade : Haka peruperu , 1934. In: Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand . Ministry for Culture & Heritage , October 22, 2014, accessed April 22, 2019 .
- ^ Waiata and haka . In: Te Kete Ipurangi . Ministry of Education , accessed April 22, 2019 .
- ↑ About Us . Te Matatini Society , archived from the original on July 10, 2013 ; accessed on June 4, 2018 (English, original website no longer available).
- ↑ Regional Qualifiers . Te Matatini Society , archived from the original on February 8, 2013 ; accessed on June 4, 2018 (English, original website no longer available).
- ↑ taonga . Te Matatini Society , archived from the original on May 6, 2018 ; accessed on June 4, 2018 (English, original website no longer available).