Hacca

Since we are now doing a Hacca, I have decided to look at Haccas online to see what they are usually like and also to see the energy and expressions they use in them.

The first Hacca that I looked at was at a New Zealand Rugby game. I can clearly see that they are used for intimidation and to make the opponents fear them. There are quite a few similar movements that they use, such as their starting positions. 

After looking at this video, I found a website that talks about the Hacca when it is performed at New Zealand Rugby games: (http://www.rugbysongs.net/Haka.htm)

Leader:
Ringa pakia! Slap the hands against the thighs! 
Uma tiraha! Puff out the chest. 
Turi whatia! Bend the knees! 
Hope whai ake! Let the hips follow! 
Waewae takahia kia kino! Stomp the feet as hard as you can!

Leader:
Ka mate, ka mate I die, I die, 
Team:
Ka ora' Ka ora' I live, I live
Leader:
Ka mate, ka mate I die, I die, 
Team:
Ka ora Ka ora " I live, I live,
All:
Tēnei te tangata pūhuruhuru This is the hairy man 
Nāna i tiki mai whakawhiti te rā ...Who caused the sun to shine again for me 
A Upane! Ka Upane! Up the ladder, Up the ladder 
A Upane Kaupane" Up to the top 
Whiti te rā,! The sun shines! 
Hī! Rise!

The haka is a war dance. The words are chanted loudly (shouted) in a menacing way accompanied by arm actions and foot stamping. A haka was traditionally performed before charging into battle. The Maori pronunciation is basically one vowel per syllable, with the vowels having the European rather than English sound.

The `wh' is aspirated almost like an `f' (f is good enough for most people).

As for what it all means, about 140 years ago, a particularly notorious warlike chief named Te Rauparaha of the Ngati Toa tribe (based just North of present day Wellington), was being chased by his enemies. He hid in a kumara pit (the local sweet potato, only much better) and waited in the dark for his pursuers to find him.

He heard sounds above and thought he was done for when the top of the pit was opened up and sunshine flooded in. He was blinded and struggled to see those about to slay him, when his sight cleared and he instead saw the hairy legs of the local chief (reputed to have been exceptionally hirsute) who had hid him.

Te Rauparaha is said to have jumped from the pit and performed this haka on the spot, so happy was he to have escaped. Undoubtedly, he also had in his mind to do a little pursuing of his own --- Te Rauparaha being that way inclined was he.

The information about shows what the phrases mean that they speak. We use quite a few of these phrases in our piece! When Katie says 'HI!', I did not know that it meant 'Rise!'. There are quite a few different spellings of the 'Hacca' when I was looking online as some people spell it as 'Hacka' 'Haka' 'Hacca', etc.

When I Googled it with the spelling 'Haka', it came up with this on Wikipedia:

The Haka (plural is the same as singular: haka) is a traditional war cry, dance, or challenge from the Māori people of New Zealand. It is a posture dance performed by a group, with vigorous movements and stamping of the feet with rhythmically shouted accompaniment.^[1]

War haka were originally performed by warriors before a battle, proclaiming their strength and prowess in order to intimidate the opposition, but haka are also performed for various reasons: for welcoming distinguished guests, or to acknowledge great achievements, occasions or funerals, and kapa haka performance groups are very common in schools.

This makes a lot of sense why we are using it in our piece as the information above says that it is originally performed before a battle and we are using it in our play when they are coming back from one. 

This lesson, I have found it quite hard to learn it however, hopefully, after a few more tries, I will be able to learn and refine it.