ACTION SONG PRACTICE AT TE AWHINA

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THE TAIAHA and other weapons by Ra

Q: What did the Maori use to make the Taiaha?
A: They used wood, bone, stone and greenstone.

Q: What did the Maori use the Taiaha for?
A: The Maori used it for defending and also attacking.


Q: What is the Taiaha used for today?
A: It is used for performances and special occasions.
OTHER MAORI WEAPONS

Maori Weapons by Ra on PhotoPeach



For the words to the song, click this link

Rakau games, by Moesha

.Watch the video link

This video shows: A New Zealand Choir teaching Americans a rakau game.

Tikanga
Tī rākau was viewed not only as a game and useful exercise for young men, but it was also practised by girls. Young women found that its use was beneficial because it made them active, supple and improved their agility for performing kapa haka.

These games consist of the rhythmic throwing and catching of sticks from person to person.

In olden times:

• served as a way of training young warriors to catch enemies' spears in battle.
• the players stood or knelt in a circle
• as the tempo of the chant increased, those who dropped their sticks dropped out of the game
• last person in was the winner
• sticks 3 feet (90 cm) long were used
• was known as tītī touretua in Tūhoe country, and tītī tourea in Northland.
  (tītī to-ure-tua has phallic connotations, ure; penis)
• Ngāti Porou called it poi rākau

In more recent times:

• they have been an entertainment at concerts
• sticks one foot long (30 cm) are used
• players usually sit on the ground facing each other
• but they do stand in the stick dance Hoea te Waka.

Stick game songs are called waiata poi rākau or tītī tōrea. The game and song, "Titi-Torea" can be found on pages 74-77 in Games for Girl Scouts, published by Girl Scouts of the USA.

Another well-known tītī tōrea on this website is Hurihuri

Rakau games on PhotoPeach

MY DIARY BY RA

Hi my name is Ra. Im eleven years old and I was born in Nelson but Im now living in Motueka. For the past seven years I had been living in China in Xian to be exact. I can speak quite a bit of chinese too,China is quite crowded seeing that it has 1.5 billion people and so on. Cause theres so many people its pretty polluted as you can imagine. When I got back to New Zealand I went to Nelson Central School then we moved here to Motueka. Im currently in the Whanau class with Matua Dean as our teacher. In blogging i have learned..

1. how to use Parklands school blog
2. to make a diary post
3. how to do a number list
4. how to upload a picture
5. how to make a slide show
6. how to blog
7. how to link a video clip

I thought it is fun and a good way of learning on the computer, with an awesome teacher Mr.Bailey

My Mihi

Kia ora Ko Taupiri te maunga, Ko tuarangawaewae te Marae, Ko Waikato te Awa, Ko Tainui te Waka, Ko Tainui te Iwi, Ko Maniapoto te Hapu, Ko Janice toku Mama Ko Emlyn toku Papa, Ko Matua Dean te Kaiako, Ko Aunty Mere te Kuia, Ko Ra aho, Ko Pakarana te kura No rei ra Tena koto Tena koto Tena koto katoa.

MY DIARY BY MOESHA

I am 11 years old. My name is Moesha and I go to Parklands school. The best thing I like doing at school is kapahaka. My interest out of school is shopping . I have a brother and a sister, whose names are Victor, and Wairemana.
In blogging I have learned.

1. Treasure hunt on the Parklands web site.
2. Diary post.
3. About the dash board.
4. File, new window.
5. Slide show.
6. Video links.
7. video clips.
8. Use a camera.
9. Go back to Dashboard.

I thought blogging was a good experience and i like mr baileys teaching is very very good.