A few months ago, I was in an audience watching a Haka-Kapa and as I watched children dance and sing and sway and shout and beat, I couldn’t help but think “The Haka represents the best of us.”
Yes, yes - there will be a thousand voices that rush forth to tell me how it has nothing to do with goodness, in their opinion, and the Haka was once a battle cry1 but the truth is I’m not really fussed about their perspectives.
Haka are a variety of ceremonial dances in Māori culture. A performance art, haka are often performed by a group, with vigorous movements and stamping of the feet with rhythmically shouted accompaniment. Haka have been traditionally performed by both men and women for a variety of social functions within Māori culture
Kapa haka is the term for Māori action songs and the groups who perform them. The phrase translates to 'group' 'dance'. Kapa haka is an important avenue for Māori people to express and showcase their heritage and cultural Polynesian identity through song and dance.
To me - it’s the feeling that it evokes when I see us all united and combined in partnership, collaboration and an expression of our divine right to dance, sing, shout, smile, and move in peace and partnership.
It’s the strength of the evocation, the fluidity of the movements, the humour and lightness of the empowering force that moves both children and adults to a unity of force that lies in us all.
It’s the giving away of opinions and thoughts at that time - to unite in primordial movement, force and energy to say “We are here. And this is us” that moves me so.
I didn’t write the article at that time - but that phrase stuck in my throat, and today watching the Haka in the House - it reminded me of it all again.
The Haka represents the best of us, and until we find unity of purpose and an ease in our mind that is comfortable with honour and respect and friendship - before opinions - we will always be adrift in the shores of uncertainty and unhappiness - no matter how much money or belongings I own.
Be One With All - and in that find purpose, unity and peace.
Thank you to Te Pati Māori members for their expression yesterday and thank you to the Green Party and Labour Party MPs who gave valient, heart felt speeches for us all.
It was beautiful to see.
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Related Article:
Conceptions that haka are typically war dances are considered erroneous by Māori scholars” - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haka
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