Learning experience 8, Activity 2: Composing a haka Te tito i tētahi haka
Intended outcome(s)
The students could:
- explore, describe, and experience how haka is used in Māori culture (Dance 3–4 PK UC)
- select and combine rhythmic and expressive movements and chanting to portray messages through haka (Dance 3 DI CI, Music 3–4 PK UC)
- experience ways in which haka expresses messages and demonstrate an understanding of this (HPE 4 B4)
Suggested approach
The students read The whakapapa of the haka.
The students study Tama-nui-te-rā the sun and his links to the seasons through his marriages to Hinetakurua (winter maiden) and Hineraumati summer maiden, who had a son Tāne Rore the prince of haka, also known as Tamarore.
The students listen to the songs waiata 'Whiti te Rā' ('The Shining Sun') and 'Tamarore' ('The Prince of Haka').
Using the translations of the waiata, the students identify the attributes Tamarore would display as the prince of haka.
Introduce the appropriate Te reo Māori vocabulary and male and female variations.
In groups of four, the students develop a movement that uses one of the features of haka for each of the members represented in the whakapapa (history and protocols) of the haka. The students can then compose a sequence of movements that represents the whakapapa and the attributes of Tāne Rore and the haka.
The students view video clips or pictures of kapa haka (performance group) performances and choose two actions that they have seen performed, for example, Dance exemplar: Level 4: Exploring and Contextualising Dance Haka: Ka Mate! www.tki.org.nz/r/assessment/exemplars/arts/dance/da_4a_e.php
Working cooperatively in pairs (tuakana/teina), they practise their two chosen actions and make a short sequence to be performed rhythmically and expressively to music.
The students listen to a contemporary Māori song and practice their sequence to this selected piece of music. The class develops this into a warm-up routine by pairs taking turns at coming to the front of the class and performing their sequence while the rest of the class copies their actions.
As the students become more proficient with performing and extending their movement vocabulary, they can introduce other features of haka that have come up from introducing the appropriate Māori vocabulary for haka relating to Tamarore, for example, pūkana, wiri, takahi, whētero.
The students take two of these features of haka and practise in pairs. They then share these actions with another pair so the movements are linked and then present them to the class in a short sequence.
The students are introduced to key commands for a customary sequence of movements in haka. They can use these in future performances or with their own movement sequences:
- Kia rite Get ready.
- Kia wiri Start quivering your hands.
- Hope Hands on hips.
- Kia mau Take your stance.
- Waewae takahia Start stamping your right foot.
- Ringa whiua Swing arms across body, elbows bent at waist height.
In small groups, the students practise making the movements in response to the commands and then build commands and additional movements into their own warm-up sequence in order to start the whole class when called upon to do so.