Location: Wairakei visitor centre, Wairakei Terraces, Taupo, North Island, New Zealand. Haka - the story of a fearsome dance

Haka is the dance of war. To intimidate the enemy, Maori warriors lined up, began to stomp their feet, bare their teeth, stick out their tongues, made aggressive movements towards the enemy, provocatively slapped their hands, feet, torso, shouted out the words of a song strengthening the Maori spirit in a terrible voice.

The dance helped the warriors gain determination to fight, self-confidence and for many years was the best way prepare for battle with the enemy.

From about 1500 BC. peoples inhabiting the islands of the southern part Pacific Ocean- Polynesians, Melanesians, Micronesians, in search of living space, moved from island to island of Oceania, until about 950 AD. did not reach its southern tip - New Zealand.

There were many tribes that inhabited the expanses of Oceania, and although sometimes the languages ​​\u200b\u200bof neighboring tribes were similar, more often this was not the rule - and therefore driving the enemy away with the words: “leave my land, otherwise it will hurt” usually did not work.

Although the haka dance was born in an indefinitely distant historical times, scientists have their own version of its origin. The life of the ancient people inhabiting Oceania was full of dangers, one of the most serious of them is the neighborhood of wild animals, the means of protection against which nature did not give man. It is difficult to run away from a fast animal, a person's teeth cannot protect him from the teeth of a predator, and hands are a ridiculous defense against terrible paws.

It was easy and almost instantly to climb a tree, like a monkey, a person did not succeed, and a predator does not always attack in the forest, but a person succeeded in throwing stones at him, like the same monkeys, later a big stick went into action - a person continued to invent non-contact methods of protection.

One of them was a scream. On the one hand, it was a rather dangerous occupation: the sound attracted predators, but, on the other hand, with the right intonation, it could also scare them away, however, like people, both during the attack and during the defense.

The larger the group of people shouting threats, the stronger the screams merge into a general hubbub. To make the words sound clearer and the sounds louder, it was necessary to achieve synchronization of the cries. It turned out that this method is better suited not so much for intimidating the enemy, but for preparing the attacking side for battle.

In a mild form, he added a sense of unity, in an aggravated one, he brought it to a state of trance. Trance, as you know, is called an altered state of consciousness, but during trance, the state also changes. nervous system man and his body chemistry.

In a trance, a person does not feel fear and pain, does not question the orders of the group leader, becomes integral part collective, losing its own individuality. In a state of trance, the individual is ready to act in the interests of the group, up to sacrificing it own life.

To achieve the same result, not only the rhythmic songs and dances of the natives worked, but also part of the rituals performed before and after the battle, war paint or tattoos (for Maori - ta moko). History has enough evidence for this theory - from historical sources, before psychological tricks used in modern military forces.

Let's see, for example, what the Pictish warriors looked like - men and women. They went into battle in the nude, as their body was covered with a fearsome battle tattoo. The Picts not only frightened appearance enemy, but also, seeing the magical symbols on the bodies of their comrades, they felt unity with them and were filled with a fighting spirit.

Here's another one, more modern version creating a single whole from separate individuals. These are the works of Arthur Mole, the author of the most massive photographs.

The British photographer began creating his photographs in American Zion (Illinois), at the end of the First World War and continued his work after it, when domestic politics all major countries of the world was set to rise in patriotism: the world lived in anticipation of the Second World War, and the “group leaders” developed in individuals the readiness to act in the interests of the group, up to sacrificing their own lives to it, and also not to question the orders of the leaders of the group.

American soldiers and officers gladly followed the orders of the director of filming, shouted out to him from an 80-foot observation tower. It was interesting activity: tens of thousands of people learned to turn into one, it was a pleasant experience: the collective energy was directed to a still peaceful channel.

Haka also found its place in peaceful life. In 1905, the New Zealand rugby team "All Blacks" during the warm-up in England performed haka, although it included not only Maori, but also white players.

Although some of the British spectators were taken aback by the dance and expressed their outrage, most appreciated the power of the ritual and how it rallied and set the players and their fans.

One version of the khaki text from "All Blacks" sounds like this:

Ka mate, ka mate! ka ora! ka ora!
Ka mate! ka mate! ka ora! ka ora!
Tēnei te tangata pūhuruhuru Nāna nei i tiki mai whakawhiti te rā
Ah, upane! ka upane!
Ā, upane, ka upane, whiti te ra!

In translation:

Or death! Or death! Or life! Or life!
With us is the man
Who brought the sun and made it shine.
Step up, another step up
Step up, another step up
Until the shining sun.

A little explanation of the translation. Ka mate! ka mate! ka ora! ka ora!- literally translates to "This is death! This is death! That's life! This is life!”, but I think it means “Life or death” or “Die or win”.

Тangata pūhuruhuru, translates as “that person is with us,” although she should have written simply “hairy man”, because tangata- this is, indeed, a person, although in the Maori language a person cannot be just a person, an explanation is definitely needed - who exactly is meant, in this case this is a man pūhuruhuru- covered with hair. Together it turns out - "hairy man."

But the following text suggests what is meant tangata whenua- this is both an aboriginal and the first person, a great person - since the aborigines themselves call themselves that, but one of the meanings of whenua is “placenta”, it is “proto-”, and even part of the word “Earth” ( hua whenua).

It is symbolic that for the first time the haka was performed by rugby players in England. As you know, New Zealand was colonized by the British in the mid-1800s. And if earlier the Maori used haka to prepare for an intertribal war, then during the years of British oppression it helped to raise the spirit in uprisings against the Europeans.

Alas, dancing bad defense against firearms. Britain is a country whose hands in foreign blood are not up to the elbow, but up to the ears, it is no stranger to the resistance of the local population, and as a result, by the beginning of the 20th century, most of the Maori lands were in the hands of Britain, and the local population did not reach and 50 thousand people.

Haka is not the only dance of the war of the peoples of Oceania, for example, the warriors of the Tongan archipelago performed a dance Sipi Tau, Fuji warriors - Teivovo, warriors of Samoa - Cibi They are somewhat similar, somewhat independent. It is also easiest to see these dances today at rugby championships.

Today, haka is not only a warm-up dance for the All Blacks, today it is a symbol of New Zealand's unity. The dance is performed at public holidays, cultural events, it even returned to the battlefield - there are photographs of Maori performing haka during World War II in Helwan, specifically at the request of King George II of Greece. Today, female military personnel also perform ritual haka, starting and ending their performance with it. So the most terrible dance, the dance of war, the male dance became a symbol of equality and peace.

The ancient ritual makes a strong impression even today - it feels the primitive strength, the power of man, and, despite the fact that haka has become a peaceful dance, performed by scantily clad men in right time and in the right place, she may well lead into a trance - well, at least girls and women.

The haka dance is not just a formidable performance by New Zealand rugby players before a match. First of all, it is the culture, traditions and heritage of the Maori, the indigenous people of New Zealand. However, hack gained popularity in the world thanks to rugby and the All Blacks.

Haka dance - Maori heritage

According to history, the haka was performed by the Maori tribal warriors before the battle, in order to intimidate the enemy. Haka includes menacing foot stomping, swinging and punching, as well as various grimaces. In our time, conflicts are no longer resolved in the open field in battles face to face with the enemy, but martial traditions remain alive, only flowing into a peaceful course.

Rugby is also a kind of war. Unlike many other team sports, here the game is played tile by tile, shoulder to shoulder, and all this within the rules. At times, rugby battles really look tough and even cruel. Therefore, it is not surprising that it was with this game that the introduction of hacks into the sports world began.

New Zealand performs a haka before the match against South Africa. EPA/NIC BOTHMA photo

But the haka is much more important to New Zealanders than just a pre-match dance. This is a tribute to tradition, part of the culture. Even in ancient times, haka was performed not only before battles, but also on other occasions, for example, when receiving important guests or when achieving something outstanding. And now it is difficult to imagine this country without khaki, the khaka dance has become a brand of New Zealand, its symbol, along with the All Blacks. Haku is performed on sports and solemn receptions, at weddings and at parting with the departed. Haku is taught in the army and at school.

Maori celebrate the return of the Maori battalion from World War I. 1920

The most famous haka is Ka Mate. According to legend, it was invented by Te Rauparaha, the leader of the Ngati Toa tribe. He hid from enemies in a food storage pit, and then got out, where he met the leader of a friendly tribe. It is these events that are reflected in the khaki text Ka Mate, which is dedicated to the celebration of the victory of life over death.

The New Zealand rugby team first performed the haka during the 1888-1889 away tour. Then it was not yet the official New Zealand team, but a team called New Zealand Natives (natives of New Zealand). During their tour they played 107! rugby matches, as well as several matches under other rules of football.

New Zealand Natives - Natives of New Zealand. 1887 Photo by S. Mercer

The first versions of the New Zealand rugby khaki did not look as impressive as the modern versions. Not all players knew exactly what to do, and the movements were not as clear and precise as they are now. Even in the famous 1973 match between the Barbarians and New Zealand, the dance of the New Zealanders is very far from fighting. But even then haka was a special event that the audience was waiting for.

In our age, rugby players have become much more like warriors, and the haka has become more formidable, and the movements of the players are synchronous and perfected. Players understand the significance of this ritual and take it seriously. And for the rivals of the hack, this is really a challenge.

Khaki evolution

Although it should be said that according to the concepts of the Maori, haka are not addressed to the enemy at all. The hakoi warriors showed and praised their own strength and made it clear to the enemy that they were going to destroy him. That is, it is not a challenge, but a statement. We don't dance the haka to challenge you. We dance the haka to say that we are going to kill you. Naturally, everything is not so radical in rugby, but the meaning is about the same.

Although haku is also performed by representatives of other team sports, including even such interesting options like hockey or baseball, but still it received the main share of its popularity in the world thanks to rugby. The reason is obvious, the All Blacks are one of the most successful teams in the world, regardless of the sport. The percentage of official matches won is 76. And therefore the haka is equivalent to winning. If the New Zealanders performed a dance and then lost, then the haku could really be taken as a joke. But knowing the strength of the team, the opponent, watching the haka, understands that they are serious, and after the whistle to start the match, there will be no time for jokes.

Jaca's various types sports

But not only the Maori have their own fighting rites, and not only the New Zealanders transferred them to the field. Representatives of other countries of Polynesia were also not averse to dancing before the fight, and now before the match. However, it is a mistake to call these dances haka, each of them has its own name. For Samoa it is Siwa Tau, for Tonga it is kailao (sipi tau is a Tonga rugby dance, a kind of kailao), for Fiji it is sibi, for Hawaii it is hula.

Rivals did not always perceive haka as just a tribute to tradition. For opponents of the New Zealand national team, this is really a challenge. And they didn't always just watch New Zealanders "traditionally" run their fingers down their throats and stick out their tongues.

Haka kapa o pango

In 1997, Richard Kokkeril went out to his New Zealand counterpart while performing a hack, as a result, Norm Hewitt completed a private hack face to face with an Englishman. English captain Martin Johnson then quietly said to his player “What have you done?”… As a result, the angry New Zealanders defeated the English 25-8.

Of course, everyone remembers the French team, which twice met the haka face to face. At the 2007 World Cup in the quarter-finals, the French team came close to the New Zealanders, creating a unique moment. Moreover, the French won a sensational victory 20-18. The French were not averse to repeating this and. Despite the ban, they again moved towards the opponent, for which they later paid a fine. And this time they almost managed to repeat the miracle, the New Zealanders barely kept the winning score of 8-7.

New Zealand - France. 2007. Photo by ROSS LAND/AFP

I have seen haka live several times. , and in 2013 in Moscow, when the New Zealanders won the Rugby Sevens World Cup. It's an impressive sight... and it wasn't so amazing anymore. But I think any beginner rugby player wants to do a haka and then go on the field to win. So if you want, you can try.

Learn Hack

But in order to win, you must first train!

The Maori, the original inhabitants of New Zealand, have always had a rich repertoire cultural traditions- from myths, legends, songs and dances, to rituals and beliefs. The Haka dance is one of the most famous Maori traditions.

The origins of the hack lie in the mists of time. The history of dance is rich in folklore and legends. In fact, it can be argued that New Zealand grew up with the haka tradition, going back to the first meeting between Maori and early European explorers, missionaries and settlers.

Haka - the embodiment of the traditions of New Zealand

Although latest traditions The dances suggest that the Haka was exclusively the domain of men, legends and stories reflect other facts. In fact, the story of the most famous hack, Ka mate, is a story about the power of female sexuality. According to legend, Haka was received from the sun of the god Ra, who had two wives: Hein-Raumati, who was the essence of summer, and Hein-Takurua, the essence of winter.

But, nevertheless, for most people, haka is a military dance. This is quite understandable because many have seen how the haka is performed before a fight or competition.

Although there are many differences between the types of war dance, common feature their is that they are all carried out with weapons. At a time when Europeans had not yet discovered New Zealand, the haka was used as part of the formal process of meeting tribes.

Haka - a fearsome and aggressive dance

Currently, Maori dance haka without traditional weapons, but various aggressive and intimidating actions remain in the dance: such as slapping hands on thighs, active grimaces, sticking out tongue, stamping feet, rolling eyes. These activities are performed along with choral chants and war cries.

How is this dance used now? New Zealanders are used to using the hack sports teams. For example, it is an absolutely unforgettable sight when the New Zealand All Blacks rugby team performs haka before the start of their matches. The haka has become a symbol of the strength of the All Blacks and their status in the rugby world. The team leaves the impression of invincibility and cruelty. Also today the New Zealand Army also has its own unique look haka, which is performed by female soldiers. Increasingly, groups of Haka performers are requested by New Zealand trade delegations and other official representations abroad to accompany them. It can be undeniably stated that haka has become a unique form of national expression.

The traditional dance of the Maori people, the haka, which was performed with great enthusiasm by the groom's friends at the multicultural wedding, moved the bride to tears. The video of the unusual wedding became an internet hit, spreading to in social networks and earning over 15 million views on YouTube.

As you know, wedding traditions different peoples worlds are diverse and can often seem quite strange to an outside observer, although participants in unusual rituals take them for granted.

A video from the multicultural wedding of Aaliyah, a Maori Indigenous New Zealand bride, and Benjamin Armstrong, a white groom, made a splash, making the newlyweds and guests Internet stars. The wedding, which took place in the city of Auckland, greatly enlivened the traditional New Zealand haka dance, staged secretly from the heroes of the occasion as a wedding surprise. This folk dance Maori is distinguished by militancy and expressiveness, however, despite this, the newlyweds did not at all consider it inappropriate. The bride even burst into tears from an excess of feelings, and then joined the performers of haku together with the groom, not shy to show their sincere emotions that overwhelmed them.

The Internet community appreciated such an unusual ritual - more than 15 million people watched the video on YouTube.

Hack for all occasions

It turns out that the dance prepared by the men present at the wedding is truly universal. Initially, as a rule, it was performed before the battle in order to intimidate the enemy, and they did this with bare erect members. However, this is not only a battle ritual. Haku is customary to dance, as we have already seen, at marriages, as well as at funerals and even at receptions of officials. The dance is especially popular among New Zealand rugby players and the military. The dancers make sudden movements, stomp their feet, beat their thighs and chest, and accompany their actions with warlike cries and lively facial expressions.

Unusual wedding traditions of other peoples of the world

However, haka is not the only wedding ritual that may seem strange. For example, in Scotland there is a custom to pour mud over the bride from head to toe to scare away evil spirits. IN South Korea It is customary to beat the groom with dried fish. In Malaysia, every guest must present the newlyweds with a boiled egg as a gift - a symbol of well-being and prosperity. But in civilized Finland, all those present are required, when presenting gifts, to voice the exact amount of money that was spent on them.

Escorted by teachers.

Haka (Maori haka) is a ritual dance of the New Zealand Maori, during which the performers stomp their feet, beat their thighs and chest, and shout out the accompaniment.

The word "haka" in the Maori language means "dance in general", as well as "song accompanying the dance." Haka cannot be attributed solely to "dances" or "songs": in the words of Alan Armstrong, haka is a composition in which each instrument - arms, legs, body, tongue, eyes - performs its own part.

The characteristic details of the hack - the dance is performed simultaneously by all participants and is accompanied by grimaces. The grimaces (movements of the eyes and tongue) are very important, and they determine how well the dance is performed. The women who performed the haka did not stick out their tongues. Non-military haka may contain wave-like movements of the fingers or hands. The leader of the dance (male or female) calls out one or two lines of text, after which the rest respond in unison with a chorus

Dance at the wedding

The New Zealand national rugby players performed the traditional national ritual haka dance ahead of their first 2015 World Cup match against Argentina. An impressive performance helped, and the All Blacks took the win 26-16. And this YouTube video has been viewed more than 145,000 times in two days:

There are several different legends about the origin of hack. According to one of them, this dance first performed by women who were looking for a certain Kae, who killed a whale that belonged to the leader of the tribe. The women didn't know what he looked like, but they knew he had crooked teeth. Kae was among other people, and in order to identify him in the crowd, the women performed funny dance with comical moves. Seeing the haku, Kae laughed and was recognized.

Haka was performed mainly in the evening for entertainment; there were purely male haka, women's, children's, as well as suitable for adults of both sexes. Also, with the help of this dance, guests were welcomed. Welcoming dances usually began militantly, since the greeters did not know the intentions of the arrivals. It was with this militant dance that the armed Maori greeted James Cook in 1769.

Christian missionary Henry Williams wrote: “It is necessary to ban all old customs, dances, singing and tattoos, the main local orgy. In Auckland, people like to gather in large groups to demonstrate their terrifying dances. Over time, the attitude towards dances on the part of Europeans improved, haku began to be regularly performed during the visits of the royal family.

In the 21st century, haka is regularly performed in armed forces New Zealand. Twice a year, since 1972, a festival-competition in haka Te Matatini (Maori Te Matatini) has been held. WITH late XIX century rugby teams perform this dance before the competition, in the 2000s this tradition caused much controversy and accusations of the "All Blacks" in the "devaluation" of the haka

Seeing off the last journey of the deceased soldier.