Haere mai! Welcome to Mairtown Kindergarten's blog.

Nau Mai Haere mai. Welcome to Mairtown Kindergarten's blog.


21 Princes Street, Kensington, Whangarei, New Zealand

Phone: 09 437 2742

Email: mairtown@nka.org.nz

Tuesday 3 April 2012

Kapa Haka at Mairtown!





Today Kim collected some traditional Kapa haka costumes for us to borrow and use next term from the Northland Kindergarten association. The children however were immediately keen to explore, try them on and start dancing!

Don’t the girls look splendid in the traditional dresses and the boys awesome wearing their piupiu?
Kapa haka is unique to New Zealand and Maori culture in the fact that the performers must sing, dance, have expression as well as movement all combined into each item. Before beginning our own dancing we discussed with the children the tikanga that needs to be observed.





Kapa Haka can be seen as a form of sign language as each action has a meaning which ties in with the words.





“New Zealand is the home of Maori language and culture: Curriculum in early childhood should promote te reo and nga tikanga Maori, making them visible and affirming their value for children from all cultural backgrounds" 
(Te Whaariki, MOE, p.42)


Here are the children performing to the rest of the Kindergarten at group time.


"Experiencing and taking part in Kapa Haka allows children to experience Maori culture and protocols. It also develops their confidence and their ability to perform in front of an audience.”





One of the children’s favourite waiata (song) is Tutira mai nga iwi. We soon realised that we were not too familiar with the actions for this song however, so invited Roimata our Pou Whakarewa Tikanga Maori (Maori advisor) to come and help us all. How wonderful for us to draw upon Roimata's expertise as a resource which enables our children to experience and gain authentic Maori cultural knowledge.






Here is a little video of the children working with Roimata.


For those who my want to sing along at home, here are the words in Te Reo and the English translation.


Tūtira mai ngā iwi
         
Tātou tātou e

Tūtira mai ngā iwi
         
Tātou tātou e

Whai-a te marama-tanga
       
me te aroha - e ngā iwi!

Ki-a k'tapa-tahi, 

Ki-a ko-tahi rā.                                
           
Tātou tātou e.

Tā  - tou, tā - tou E!!  


Line up together, people

All of us, all of us.

Stand in rows, people

All of us, all of us.

Seek after knowledge

and love of others - everybody!

Think as one,

Act as one.

All of us, all of us.

All of us, all of us.
Sing it all a second
time.



Christine

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

tino pai rawa atu tamariki ma!!

Roimata said...

Kia ora Christine



Wow what a wonderful job you have done with this blog…the background research regarding the Maori culture is fantastic, thank you for such a special blog post with a lot of thought gone into it. Ka rawe, excellent mahi….kia kaha tonu, keep it up!



Me te whakaaro nui, with kind thoughts



Roimata Macfarlane

Pou Whakarewa Tikanga Māori I Professional Practice Advisor Māori I Northland Kindergarten Association

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