The Māori of New Zealand
I cannot believe this is the final blog of the semester, so let's make it count! I will be focusing on the Māori people, their culture, and most importantly, their music.
As always, a bit of background information. The Māori people are the indigenous people of New Zealand, and there are records of them back as early as 1300 CE. Their history revolves around war with the British and fighting to keep their ancestral land. A majority of the music does not include instruments and is in the form of chants or poetry. There are dances associated with them that have become a staple in the culture, often performed at reunions or rituals.
Before we begin, here are a few vocabulary words you should know. I will be going over the following points in detail:
1. Waiata = translates to "Song"
2. Taonga Puoro = the instruments
3. Haka = dance
Waiata:
As in any culture, there are many forms of songs. A few of these for the Māori are Karakia (chants and prayers), Moteatea (traditional chant, poetry), and Waiata. These songs can be performed alone or in a group. These songs can be used on many occasions, such as to teach children, mourn, and support for a speech. The tradition of the Waiata is still ongoing today as songs are still being written. Most of these songs deal with themes and topics from modern-day life.
Waiata incorporates many genres of music similar to the ones that are created in popular music today. The three main waiata types are "oriori" (lullabies), "waiata tangi" (laments), and "waiata aroha" (love songs). Waiata tangi ranges from telling stories about life-changing issues or struggles, such as illness and death of a loved one, to telling tales of a broken or lost belonging. Next, the Waiata aroha are love songs. However, they traditionally focus on the darker and sadder aspects of the emotion. Some of the more popular themes include the loss of a lover or family member. Lastly, Oriori is not as common. These songs were composed and sung for children of high rank in the tribe. They could also be used to teach these high-ranking children when they are young. These can incorporate tribe history as well as aspects that surround the tribe, such as food or land.
Taonga Puoro:
Taonga Puoro refers to the instruments used by the Māori people. Each tool has a different purpose, such as a call to arms, welcoming a new day, or communicating with the gods. Many instruments have been lost over time, but those that are preserved have found a new revitalization age. These instruments are not commonly used during Māori ceremonies or by composers from New Zealand.
The majority of instruments are small wind instruments that have similarities to trumpets and flutes. I've included a few of my favorites below:
The Putatara is a makeshift trumpet made out of a shell and rope. It is used to announce a birth or call people to arms in case of danger. This instrument is regarded as a gift from the god of the sea, Tangaroa.
The Pukaea is made from a hollow length of wood, carved to have a bell-shaped end. This instrument is used to announce celebrations or call people to important occasions. In more serious matters, it can be used to call war.
The Putorino is a type of flute that is in the rough shape of a diamond. Because of this shape, it is said to have voices of both men and women and sometimes a mysterious third voice.
There are not many videos available of these instruments, but I did find one of the Putatara performed by a master of traditional Māori instruments Horomona Horo. In the background, you can find him accompanying the Putatara with a horn. Take a listen. Do the instruments sound different than you'd expect?
Haka: The Haka is a dance traditionally used before battle to instill fear into one’s enemy. The hope for this tactic was that if the enemy were scared enough, the fight itself would not happen. There is also singing involved, meaning that the Haka is a subclass of Waiata! Along with this, there are many forms of the Haka. The Peruperu is a performance on the battlefield with weapons, known as the fiercest form of Haka. The next Haka is the Taparahi, a ceremonial Haka performed without weapons. The Taparahi is most likely the form we see in the media, which we will have a few examples of later! The final form of Haka is the powhiri, a welcome dance traditionally danced by men. Women from specific tribes also take part in these dances.
In the modern day, the Haka is performed to show pride in one’s heritage and give thanks and recognition to one's ancestors. I will include videos of two forms of this dance. One is a traditional Haka performance, and the other will be the New Zealand rugby team performing before a match.
After watching these videos, you can see that they both include similar elements and moves, such as the slapping of the body on the thighs, arms, and chest, as well as foot stomping. Some other elements you might notice are widening the eyes and sticking the tongue out as a form of intimidation. Did it work? Are you intimidated?
Now that we have learned all the pieces, I have a video that combines them all. Granted, it is a little long (roughly 14 minutes), but it combines multiple styles of Wairata, Haka, and some instruments, even though these cannot be seen. The video is of a competition, so please scan through it and take a look!
The Māori have impacted other cultures as well. Most notable is Australia, due to the island's proximity. Because of this, artists from here have been inspired to include Māori aspects in their songs. One of the more notable is from the Korean Pop band Stray-Kids. In their song "Moiroh", the group includes aspects of Haka in their dance choreography. Because of this, I'll include the dance video so that the video doesn't cut away from their dancing.
I cannot believe this is the final blog of the semester, so let's make it count! I will be focusing on the Māori people, their culture, and most importantly, their music.
As always, a bit of background information. The Māori people are the indigenous people of New Zealand, and there are records of them back as early as 1300 CE. Their history revolves around war with the British and fighting to keep their ancestral land. A majority of the music does not include instruments and is in the form of chants or poetry. There are dances associated with them that have become a staple in the culture, often performed at reunions or rituals.
Before we begin, here are a few vocabulary words you should know. I will be going over the following points in detail:
1. Waiata = translates to "Song"
2. Taonga Puoro = the instruments
3. Haka = dance
Waiata:
As in any culture, there are many forms of songs. A few of these for the Māori are Karakia (chants and prayers), Moteatea (traditional chant, poetry), and Waiata. These songs can be performed alone or in a group. These songs can be used on many occasions, such as to teach children, mourn, and support for a speech. The tradition of the Waiata is still ongoing today as songs are still being written. Most of these songs deal with themes and topics from modern-day life.
Waiata incorporates many genres of music similar to the ones that are created in popular music today. The three main waiata types are "oriori" (lullabies), "waiata tangi" (laments), and "waiata aroha" (love songs). Waiata tangi ranges from telling stories about life-changing issues or struggles, such as illness and death of a loved one, to telling tales of a broken or lost belonging. Next, the Waiata aroha are love songs. However, they traditionally focus on the darker and sadder aspects of the emotion. Some of the more popular themes include the loss of a lover or family member. Lastly, Oriori is not as common. These songs were composed and sung for children of high rank in the tribe. They could also be used to teach these high-ranking children when they are young. These can incorporate tribe history as well as aspects that surround the tribe, such as food or land.
Taonga Puoro:
Taonga Puoro refers to the instruments used by the Māori people. Each tool has a different purpose, such as a call to arms, welcoming a new day, or communicating with the gods. Many instruments have been lost over time, but those that are preserved have found a new revitalization age. These instruments are not commonly used during Māori ceremonies or by composers from New Zealand.
The majority of instruments are small wind instruments that have similarities to trumpets and flutes. I've included a few of my favorites below:
The Putatara is a makeshift trumpet made out of a shell and rope. It is used to announce a birth or call people to arms in case of danger. This instrument is regarded as a gift from the god of the sea, Tangaroa.
The Pukaea is made from a hollow length of wood, carved to have a bell-shaped end. This instrument is used to announce celebrations or call people to important occasions. In more serious matters, it can be used to call war.
The Putorino is a type of flute that is in the rough shape of a diamond. Because of this shape, it is said to have voices of both men and women and sometimes a mysterious third voice.
There are not many videos available of these instruments, but I did find one of the Putatara performed by a master of traditional Māori instruments Horomona Horo. In the background, you can find him accompanying the Putatara with a horn. Take a listen. Do the instruments sound different than you'd expect?
Work Cited: Evans, Xenia. “A Brief Introduction to: Māori Music.” WHAT A TUNE, WHAT A TUNE, 10 Jan. 2023, https://whatatune.com/a-brief-introduction-to-maori-music/.
“Haka.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., https://www.britannica.com/art/haka.
“Māori Music - Taonga Pūoro.” Christchurch City Libraries Ng Kete Wnanga o Tautahi, https://my.christchurchcitylibraries.com/maori-music-taonga-puoro/.
“Māori Music - Taonga Pūoro.” Christchurch City Libraries Ng Kete Wnanga o Tautahi, https://my.christchurchcitylibraries.com/maori-music-taonga-puoro/.
“Māori.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 3 Apr. 2023, https://www.britannica.com/topic/Maori.
New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage Te Manatu Taonga. “Māori Musical Instruments – Taonga Puoro.” Te Ara Encyclopedia of New Zealand – Te Ara Encyclopedia of New Zealand, Ministry for Culture and Heritage Te Manatu Taonga, 6 Oct. 2021, https://teara.govt.nz/en/maori-musical-instruments-taonga-puoro.
New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage Te Manatu Taonga. “Waiata Tawhito - Traditional Māori Songs.” Te Ara Encyclopedia of New Zealand – Te Ara Encyclopedia of New Zealand, Ministry for Culture and Heritage Te Manatu Taonga, 6 Oct. 2021, https://teara.govt.nz/en/waiata-tawhito-traditional-maori-songs.
“St. Lawrence University Libraries.” Library, https://library.stlawu.edu/.
Evans, Xenia. “A Brief Introduction to: Māori Music.” WHAT A TUNE, WHAT A TUNE, 10 Jan. 2023, https://whatatune.com/a-brief-introduction-to-maori-music/.
“Haka.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., https://www.britannica.com/art/haka.
“Māori Music - Taonga Pūoro.” Christchurch City Libraries Ng Kete Wnanga o Tautahi, https://my.christchurchcitylibraries.com/maori-music-taonga-puoro/.
“Māori Music - Taonga Pūoro.” Christchurch City Libraries Ng Kete Wnanga o Tautahi, https://my.christchurchcitylibraries.com/maori-music-taonga-puoro/.
“Māori.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 3 Apr. 2023, https://www.britannica.com/topic/Maori.
New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage Te Manatu Taonga. “Māori Musical Instruments – Taonga Puoro.” Te Ara Encyclopedia of New Zealand – Te Ara Encyclopedia of New Zealand, Ministry for Culture and Heritage Te Manatu Taonga, 6 Oct. 2021, https://teara.govt.nz/en/maori-musical-instruments-taonga-puoro.
New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage Te Manatu Taonga. “Waiata Tawhito - Traditional Māori Songs.” Te Ara Encyclopedia of New Zealand – Te Ara Encyclopedia of New Zealand, Ministry for Culture and Heritage Te Manatu Taonga, 6 Oct. 2021, https://teara.govt.nz/en/waiata-tawhito-traditional-maori-songs.
“St. Lawrence University Libraries.” Library, https://library.stlawu.edu/.
I found this very interesting to read because I have never heard of any thing New Zealand, specifically the music/culture. pretty cool that majority of the music is made without instruments but rather with chants and poems. another thing that caught my attention was the Taonga Puoro which was soothing and calming that reminded me of like the ocean with the shell like construction of the instrument.
ReplyDeleteI came so close to further researching Maori culture for this assignment! I've always been especially captivated by the haka; I've gone down many a YouTube rabbit hole just watching a bunch of footage. I'm also a HUGE fan of Stray Kids and I thought it was so cool when I first learned that they incorporated elements of haka into their choreography! They have a song called "Zone" where they sing a few lines in the Maori language as well.
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