Old Traditions
It has been a few weeks, but I’m sure some of you might still remember the video that went around on the internet. Which video I’m talking about, you ask?
Well, as this is a blog about New Zealand, you might have guessed it already. It is the “Farewell Haka” students did to say goodbye to one of their teachers.
If you haven’t watched it yet I recommend you do it now.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wz7DzheCeuQ
Okay, are you done?
So, I have to say, watching that thing is actually quite — for a lack of a better word — frightening. You can really sense the power in all their movements and calls.
But when I watched the video, I also realized something else: I don’t know anything about Maori culture. Or should I say knew? Because now, I obviously informed myself on the topic.
So let’s start with this particular dance. The Haka is a traditional war cry. Originally, it was performed by a group of warriors before a battle to intimidate their opponents. Today however it can be performed for all kinds of occasions. A goodbye like in the video, or maybe a welcome.
There are different kinds of Haka, this one though is particularly popular since the New Zealand rugby team is performing it before games.
And I have to say, I find it very interesting to see such an old tradition being picked up by young people. Here, in Germany we don’t have anything similar — at least I don’t think so. I admire the fact that New Zealand incorporates such parts of the Maori Culture into the modern world. In my opinion it is important to stay in touch with any kind of culture and history the own land has to offer. It’s nice to have something special and unique like for example this dance.
But I mean, that’s not all the Maori culture has to offer, is it? Interesting would be also the traditional greeting; the Hongi.
It’s a funny name, and you can’t really picture how a Hongi looks if you have never seen one. But in a way it looks like it sounds: nice.
When doing the Hongi, the two people who greet each other press their foreheads and noses together. The idea behind this is, that by doing this gesture, the two exchange their breath of life.
Maori folklore says that the gods formed the woman out of the earth; and she came to life because of the god Tane who breathed into her nostrils. I think this explains very well, why it’s called breath of life.
All in all, I love to hear about all these old traditions — partly because most of the time, there are quite interesting stories to go with them, legends and myths.
And who doesn’t love a good story?
