Monday, June 19, 2017

OMA RAPETI - Girls poi

OMA RAPETI
Oma rāpeti, oma rāpeti
Oma, oma, oma
Oma rāpeti, oma rāpeti
Oma, oma, oma
Pako pako pako
Ko te tangi ō te pūpamu
Oma rāpeti, oma rāpeti
Oma, oma, oma
Run rabbit, run rabbit
Run, run, run
Run rabbit, run rabbit
Run, run, run
Bang, bang, bang
goes the farmer’s gun
Run rabbit, run rabbit
Run, run, run

Matariki Macarena


Sunday, May 28, 2017

Harakeke

Image result for cutting harakeke

Harakeke (New Zealand flax, or Phormium tenax) is the plant at the heart of Māori weaving. Read an overview of its cultivation, symbolism, and harvesting.

Cultivating harakeke

Māori cherished harakeke and cultivated plants in special plantations, called pā harakeke.
They grew many varieties for specific purposes – to produce clothing, fishing nets, bindings, baskets, and mats, and also to use in medicine.
To make kākaku (cloaks), weavers extracted and processed the inner fibre of harakeke, called muka. They used this to weave the base. They also used strips of the whole leaf – to create the thatch-like protective surface of pākē (rain capes) and to adorn other styles of cloak. 

Symbolism – the harakeke family

For Māori, the fan-shaped harakeke plant represents a whānau (family). This symbolism reflects the importance of the plant in Māori life.
  • The rito, or inner shoot, is likened to a child and is never removed. A family must protect its offspring if it is to survive.
  • The awhi rito, or protectors of the rito, stand on each side. They are seen as mātua (parents). Like the rito, they are never harvested.
  • Only the outer leaves, likened to extended family members, are harvested.

Harvesting harakeke

Māori maintained many tikanga (protocols) to nurture harakeke. The protocols differed by iwi (tribe), but some, like those below, were commonly followed.
  • Weavers say a karakia (prayer) before cutting the first blade of harakeke.
  • They always cut on the diagonal, away from the plant’s heart and from top to bottom. This helps rainwater drain away and prevents the heart from being flooded and dying.
  • Harvesting is not permitted at night or in rain.
  • No food can be taken into the pā harakeke

KARAKIA

Hutia te rito
o te harakeke
Kei whea, te kāmako e kō?
Kī mai ki ahau
He aha te mea nui
o tēnei ao
Māku e kī atu
He tangata, he tangata, he tangata.

When the heart is torn
from the flax bush
where will the Bell bird sing?
You ask me
what is the greatest thing
on Earth
My reply is
it is people people people.

Mihi homework

Don't forget to talk with your whanau about your Toku Mihi.

Sunday, May 14, 2017

Introducing Ourselves

Tena koutou katoa. 

Ko _____ toku ingoa. 
(My name is)
Ko _____ toku ingoa whanau. 
(My family name is)
Ko _____ toku whea.
(My Mother's name is)
Ko _____ toku matua.
(My father's name is)
He tama/hine ahau.
(I am a boy/girl)
Toko ______nga tangata kei roto i toku whanau.
(there are ___ people in my family)

Tena tatou katoa.