Summer Learning Journey Week 1 Day 4

Day 4: Hitting a High Note…

Activity 1: The Waiata - A Song in Your Heart

In the past, Māori would often use song as a way of sharing information or communicating emotions.  A waiata is the name given to a traditional Māori song. One of my all-time favourite waiata is Kia Paimarie. What about you?

My favorite song is called Rua Kenana. I like it because the lyrics to the song tell a story. I listened to the song and decided to write some lyrics. Credits to Tehaeata Rawiri.

Say we go to the pa to get the kumara,
It tastes so good to me,
I get the shovel and the spade,          Video    
And dig up every day,
It tastes so good to me,
We got to dig up, dig up, dig up, the kumara,
We got to dig up, dig up, dig up, the kumara,

Rua kenana, Tuhoe prophet from the Urewera,
Oh Rua, Rua kenana,
Told his people not to go to war,
Let the white man fight, the white man's war,
Oh rua, rua kenana,
He lived on the maunga Wainui,
Children of the East is what we call Nui, Nui Omata,
Ooh yeah, ooh yeah, shooby doobity doo wop wop oh woah  
Rua left his mark on this world, yeah,
Ooh yeah, ooh yeah, shooby doobity doo wop wop oh woah
Rua left his mark on this world, yeah.  

Use Google to research traditional Māori Waiata. Listen to a number of Waiata and read the lyrics. On your blog tell us which one of the waiata you found you like the most. Why do you like it?

Activity 2: Playing Games

Hundreds of years ago, young Māori children were taught to play a number of games, including Poi Rakau, Ki O Rahi, Koruru Taonga and Poi Toa. Read about each of these four games on the Rangatahi tu Rangatira website. Have you played any of them before? Isn’t it cool how the games have been passed down for generations?

Choose one game, and on your blog, tell us the (i) name of the game, (ii) the goal or purpose of the game, and (iii) two rules.

You could try playing some of the games with a friend.

I have chosen a game called Poi Rakau. The purpose of the game is to keep throwing the rakau to a person to your left, the person that has to throw the rakau is the person that is standing in the middle of the circle that you make. a player can put in moves and make noises to make it difficult.

Rule 1: You must not drop the rakau and must make a okay pass, but if you do not you are out.
Rule 2: If a player throws the rakau with there right hand then the person that is standing in the middle must catch it with there left hand or as the purpose is out.

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Bonus Activity: Musical Festivals – Matatini

In New Zealand, a huge festival is held every two years, called Te Matatini. This performing arts festival celebrates the tikanga (culture or customs) of Māori. Kapa Haka groups from around New Zealand are invited to attend the festival and each group gives a 25-minute performance. The performances are judged and the best teams win prizes.

The gold medal winning team from this year (2017) was Te Kapa Haka o Whāngārā Mai Tawhiti.

Watch these three clips from previous Te Matatini festivals.

Tamatea Arikinui

Te Iti Kahurangi

Te Puku o Te Ika

On your blog, rank the performances from your favourite (#1) to least favourite (#3) and tell us why you gave them the ranking that you did.

#1 Te Puku o Te Ika

I liked this song because it was calm and soothing.

#2 Te Iti Kahurangi
I really liked how they sang loud and I also loved how they knew how to harmonise together.

#3 Te Puku o Te ika
They sang loud and proud together which made it very touching.

BONUS POINTS: 6