Young secondary school performers in the impressive Amokura Kapa Haka  Group from Christchurch

At Ngāi Tahu's Hui-ā-Iwi 2012

November 24.

Kapa Haka performers from Te Taumutu Rūnanga, hosts of the Ngāi Tahu Hui-ā-Iwi at Lincoln Events Centre November 23-25, 2012.

A Portrait - 33

Kapa Haka Performer

Cathedral Square, Christchurch

Jan. 2011. Ajr

A Portrait - 30

Young Kapa Haka Performer

Cathedral Square

Christchurch

Jan.2010. Ajr

Performing in the Square

A few days ago, I spent a couple of hours hanging about in Christchurch's Cathedral Square. It was a roasting hot, sunny day and the place was packed with locals and visitors alike. Buskers were also out in force - jugglers, a flute player, a singer/guitarist, The Wizard and this young kapa haka group raising funds - I think - for their trip to compete in a kapa haka contest.

I stood and watched them for some time, thinking how good it was that they were willing to get out and 'sing for their supper' as it were. They were very good too. But I was also listening to a much older Maori guy singing and playing the guitar. He had a terrific voice and when it came to making a donation, I chose to my money in his guitar case, rather than in that of the kapa haka group.

But as my $5 note floated down to land among his coins, he suddenly stopped playing and announced "Cool, I have enough for a couple of packets of smokes now. I might call it a day."

I wanted to snatch my $5 back and I felt sick that I was supporting his bad habit rather than the young talents of the kapa haka group.

I'll certainly make a better choice next time. In the meantime, I hope the crowds watching this talented group of young performers have helped them get some way towards their competitions.

A Portrait - 22

Kapa Haka Performer

@ Te Puia

Rotorua

May 2009. Ajr

www.tepuia.com

A Portrait - 13

Kapa Haka Performer

Rotorua

May 2009, Ajr

A Portrait - 5

A Kapa Haka Performer

Te Puia, Rotorua

May 2009

www.tepuia.com

A Portrait - 2

Waiting for a Call

Kapa Haka Performer

Te Puia, Rotorua

May 2009.

www.tepuia.com

Poi Pupil

I spend a lot of time sitting around waiting for what I consider to be an interesting photograph.

Sometimes - often - I find that photograph in the detail of things rather than in 'the main event.'
That was certainly the case here - last year on Waitangi Day, at a kapa haka performance at Christchurch Art Gallery. I did in fact, get some terrific shots of the group performing but I loved these shots of the little girl best of all. Like so many Maori cultural groups, they encourage the young ones from a very early age and the adult performers never seem put off or distracted by the inattentions of the young. I loved the way she just kept doing her own thing, fiddling with one of the women's piupiu (skirts).

Opening Gig

Christchurch. July 2009. Ajr

Tuahiwi’s Te Ngai Tuahuriri kapa haka group will soon be winging its way to Canada. They’ve been invited to officially open the Canadian National Exhibition in Toronto, along with New Zealand High Commissioner to Canada, Kate Lackey and the Mayor of Toronto on August 21st. I took this photograph of the group pefforming at the opening of the Christchurch Arts Festival recently.

Tuahiwi Tamariki meet their Kaumatua

It was Kaumatua Day at Tuahiwi Marae on Friday and the tamariki (children) from Tuahiwi School’s Whitireia Bilingual Unit – located directly across the road from the marae – came across to the wharenui to sing and dance for the kaumatua (elders).

Bilingual teacher at the school, Gaynor Hakaria (Ngai Tahu, Ngati Porou), said it was about “giving back (in songs and gifts) to our tipuna.” With Kaiarahi i Te Reo (Te Reo language leader), Te Rau-o-te-Rangi Winterburn playing the guitar, the group presented a lovely range of wiata (songs), including some of the numbers a selected group of 16 girls and 16 boys are practising for their entry in the October primary schools kapa haka competitions. They finished with a presentation of their handmade bookmarks, fridge magnets and putiputi (woven flowers) to the kaumatua.

In reply, the kaumatua led by Aroha Reriti-Crofts, performed for the children – the highlight, one of the wiata that was performed by a Tuahiwi kapa haka group when an inter-tribal group welcomed the soldiers of the New Zealand Maori Battalion home from World War II on Wellington Wharf in 1946. Aroha (wearing green) was just seven when she took part in that welcome.

Festival Opening

Tuahiwi Kapa Haka Group outside Christchurch Cathedral

One of the major sponsors of this year’s Christchurch Arts Festival Winter Garden 2009, is Te Runanga o Ngai Tahu and last night I went along to see the Te Ngai Tuahuriri kapa haka group perform at the opening in Cathedral Square. Thankfully the rain held off and a crowd of several thousand people came along to see a series of mixed performers kick of a terrific calendar of events that runs through until August 9th. There are several Ngai Tahu-initiated shows during the festival and I’ll bring you more about those in the coming days. In the meantime, here are a few moody shots from a night filled with lights and laughter. www.artsfestiavl.co.nz www.ngaitahu.iwi.nz
Waiting between performances while opening speeches are made
The men perform a rousing haka

A visual compilation from the night

Kapa Haka Live Worldwide

Image courtesy Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa
Don't forget!
Today - Live
300 Senior Maori Kapa Haka Performers put on a great show for the whole world via the Te Papa website - www.tepapa.govt.nz/kapahaka From 10:30am to 3:30pm today, Saturday, New Zealand time; and again on Sunday from 10am senior Maori (kaumatua) perform for the closing of Te Papa's Matariki Festival. Tune in for a great show. Read more about it in my posting below and on Te Papa's website.

Scene Stealer

Rotorua. May 2009. Ajr
When I visited Whakarewarewa Maori Thermal Village in Rotorua in May, I was treated to a kapa haka performance - one where the tiny whanau (family) were encouraged onto the stage to take their place with the performing grown-ups. This little girl in the pink was a complete natural and she stole the show. She and her little friend are taking their turn with the pois. www.whakarewarewa.com

A Reminder - Maori Performance Live Online

Image courtesy Museum of New Zealand - Te Papa Tongarewa

Following my earlier posts about Te Marae at the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa in Wellington, here’s a reminder about the live online Maori cultural performance this weekend - you’ll be able to see part of the museum’s Matariki Festival closing online, whether you’re in Wanganui, Warsaw or Washington. Using the power of TelstraClear’s Next IP Network, around 300 senior Maori performing artists will get to perform in front of a worldwide audience on the weekend of July 11 and 12. Kaumatua Kapa Haka is one of the highlights of Te Papa’s Matariki festival and for the first time, it will be webcast live online at www.tepapa.govt.nz/kapahaka.
Ngati Porou performers
Many of the performers gathering at Te Papa for Kaumatua Kapa Haka have been learning Maori performing arts since they were young children and the oldest member amongst the groups is 93 years old. They’ll be performing some classic wiata (songs) by 20th century composers like Tuini Ngawai, Sir Apirana Ngata and Kohine Ponika
Both images courtesy Museum of New Zealand - Te Papa Tongarewa
The eight groups performing are the Auckland Anglican Maori Club (Auckland); Te Whanau a Kohine Ponika (Auckland/Bay of Plenty); He Kura ki Waikato (Waikato); Te Hokowhitua Tu (Gisborne); Taranaki ki te Tonga (South Taranaki); Ngati Kahungunu (Hawke’s Bay/Wairarapa), Te Ropu Tahiwi a Te Whanganui-a-Tara (Wellington); and Te Wiwi Nati (Wellington). The performances will be held on Saturday July 11, from 10:30am to 3.30pm NZ time and from 10am on Sunday July 12. You can find updates about the event on Te Papa’s Facebook page, http://www.facebook.com/; and you can learn more about senior Maori performing arts at www.kaumatuakapahaka.com www.tepapa.govt.nz Don't forget to tune in!

Song and Dance

Rotorua. May 2009 Ajr

Piupiu Twirling

At the Kapa Haka Performance

At Whakarewarewa Village Last Week

Encouraging the Younger Generations

Whakarewarewa, Rotorua. May 2009. Ajr

How cool is this! At the kapa haka performance at Whakarewarewa in Rotorua today, all the little girls joined, flapping their pois about and swaying to the music. No one minded. No one sent them away.Everyone just carried on as normal. And normal it is, for these little ones grow up in a performing environment. They learn the song and dance routines young and they carry on to perform as teenagers and adults, taking over when their parents 'retire' from the stage. There's a lovely sense of continuity about it that I found quite inspiring. www.whakarewarewa.com

Haka History

Mareikura Kapa Haka, Waitangi Day, Christchurch
The All Blacks have given the Maori haka – or at least one version of it – an international profile. Commonly considered a war dance, haka are in fact performed on other occasions too – as a welcome to distinguished guests for instance, or to acknowledge great achievements and special occasions – as these members of Christchurch’s Mareikura kapa haka group did on Waitangi Day on February 6th. Most people remember the haka for its power and emotional impact - its facial contortions, the showing of the whites of eyes, feet stamping, body slapping and the poking out of tongues.

Left: Photographed tourism poster; Right One son, Kapa Haka Group, Alice Springs, Australia.
The traditional war haka were called peruperu and were performed before battles to discourage and frighten the enemy. Weapons (especially spears and or mere as above) were waved about and fierce facial expressions and cries were characteristic. The most common haka performed is still ‘Ka Mate,’ a ceremonial haka that stems back to the 1820s and Ngati Toa chief, Te Rauparaha. And contrary to popular belief, the performance of haka is not exclusive to men. There are some haka which are performed exclusively by women, although most commonly, women provide a background of singing to a male performance.
Now, in Rotorua, visitors wanting to learn the haka can do so at Rotorua’s longest-running backpackers, Kiwi Paka. The 90-minute lessons, taken by local man Tiki Edwards of Haka World, are for men and women and will provide visitors with helpful background to the history and meaning of the haka. Tiki came up with the idea when he was living playing rugby in England. He was repeatedly asked to perform the haka during his time living there and he found people from all cultures were curious about the dance.

In Training

Waitangi Day, Mareikura Kapa Haka, Christchurch Feb 2009 Ajr

These are just some of the dozens of photographs I took of the Mareikura kapa haka performance at yesterday’s Waitangi Day celebrations at Christchurch Art Gallery. I loved the fact that they included some very small children – and this little girl almost stole the show with her confidence. It’s good to know that the youngest generation are being taught about their culture at an early age. She may not have been the best at twirling the poi (soft balls on string) but she gave it her best shot and what she lacked in skill she more than made up for with enthusiasm. There are more shots below in my Waitangi Day post.

Waitangi Day Celebrations

Mareikura Performance, Christchurch Art Gallery. Waitangi Day 2009. Ajr

Today – February 6th, 2009 – marks the 169th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi between Maori and Pakeha (New Zealanders of European ancestry) in 1840. The Treaty was signed in a tent in the grounds of what is now known as the Treaty house at Waitangi in the Bay of Islands, north of Auckland. It made New Zealand part of the British Empire, guaranteed Maori rights to their land and the rights to be British citizens. The signing was not commemorated annually until 1947 and it wasn’t until 1973 that the day was officially marked into law as a public holiday – then called New Zealand Day. It was officially re-named Waitangi Day in 1976. Since then this national day of commemoration has often been marked by controversy and protests by Maori activists over what many feel to be treaty injustices. Away from the discontent though, many New Zealanders – Maori and Pakeha alike – celebrate the day with public concerts, festivals and traditional Maori performances. They see it as a chance to celebrate people, partnership and unity. I spent the best part of today – a very HOT day – attending the Waitangi Day celebrations at Christchurch Art Gallery. We watched a terrific traditional kapa haka performace by the Mareikura group (above), which was followed by a reading by Maori poet, Ben Brown and a performance by contemporary Maori singer, Toni Huata. I sat beside an English couple who had only been in the country three days. They’d just watched a showing of Vincent Ward’s movie, “Children of the Rain,” they were tucking in to a hangi platter and they were “blown away” by the “singing and dancing” – all up a pretty good first immersion into Maori culture I told them.