Kapa haka
Categories: New Zealand styles of music | Maori | Maori words
Kapa haka is the centuries old presentation style of the performing arts of Māori people of New Zealand, faithfully displaying haka from pre-colonial times as well as including modern-day interpretations.
It involves waiata a ringa, haka, titi torea and poi and the total presentation is a synchronisation of action, timing, posture, footwork and sound.
- waiata a ringa is very generally described as the distinctive Māori music which accompanies action songs, but also extends to karakia (prayer or hymn), tangi (funeral lament) and whakapapa (recitation of genealogy) etc. In a kapa haka performance waiata a ringa usually recounts the actions from an incident of long ago, or communicates a story, and sometimes challenge, to onlookers.
- haka are traditional action dances. There are several different haka, but many involve weapons and considerable jumping and feet stamping by the performers who are male. Most of them were traditionally carried out before warriors left for battle. They feature the wiri which is the trembling and side to side movement of the hands.
- titi torea is the dextrous use of sticks which are rapidly and accurately passed between performers, and which are often struck on the ground or floor to the time or beat of the action.
- poi, small and long, are small flax balls (about the size of a tennis ball) which are swung on the end of a flax cord. Performers need great dexterity and coordination to use poi, especially when manipulating four long poi at the same time. Warriors were once trained in long poi to improve their agility.
- Kapa haka performances are sometimes accompanied by haunting music played on traditional Māori instruments such as the koanau (rotund flute), putorino (small flute), nguru (nose flute), pukaea (type of trumpet) and the pututara (conch shell).
Every two years, kapa haka groups from all parts of New Zealand compete in Te Matatini, which is recognised a being the premier national Māori performing arts competition.
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