Another travel blogger linked this video on Facebook today. It's awesome and fantastic. Seriously. Gets the blood moving and makes you wish you were Māori.
Can't see it? Watch it on YouTube: http://youtu.be/JuhcZX9rFRM
I remembered how much I loved watching haka and listening to Lisa Gerrard's gorgeous soundtrack from the movie Whale Rider. Even though we were terrible, I was really happy to participate in an improvised haka at the Seattle International Film Festival's showing of the film years ago. It was led by Rawiri Paratene, the actor who played the grandfather.
Whale Rider trailer on YouTube: http://youtu.be/GOBvABpfeeY
After getting all fired up about New Zealand again, a place I've been wanting to go for years (Waitomo Caves, OMG! Black Water rafting through Glowworm Cave — how awesome is that?), I looked up a little bit about the opening of the World Cup. According to ABC Grandstand Sport, "Hakas [sic] have featured in the World Cup build-up after flash mobs of about 50 people performing at an Auckland shopping centre and busy intersection were filmed and shown on YouTube." Flash mobs? …Really?!?
Want to go to to New Zealand and witness haka in person?
Unless you're a good swimmer, you'll probably want to look into cheap Auckland flights.
Well, I guess if you're very lucky you could ride a whale. ;)
Naturally I had to go to YouTubing immediately. Turns out there are bunches!
Flash Haka @ Sylvia Park on YouTube: http://youtu.be/puXad30DSfg
Flash Haka in Auckland CBD on YouTube: http://youtu.be/G6_O7NE3R7E
It's even spread to Barcelona and the Churchill Cup (the poor Ireland A team lads look at a bit of a loss).
The All Blacks terrifying Ireland on YouTube: http://youtu.be/uHW1K2LeQXE
Apparently the song in the last video is Tīmatanga. The lyrics can be found here, in both Māori and English. They seem innocuous enough on paper, but I would not want to be facing the All Blacks on the field without some serious machinery between me and them.
I've been to Zealand, Denmark, which I laughingly referred to as "Old Zealand," even though that's not quite correct. I haven't been to New Zealand yet, but I love it already. So many things to do, see, and experience: caves, volcanoes, beaches, penguins, rafting, and taking more pictures of sheep (I actually quite like sheep). Oh, and in case it matters, I've been wanting to go there since long before this Lord of the Rings, or even Xena, nonsense. I mean, rafting! Through caves! With glow worms! …It doesn't get better than that.
So much awesome in haka. Many more haka flash mobs await you on YouTube!
Where will your dream trip take you?
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Flash haka, I had no idea but it IS awesome!
(Apropos of nothing, the player leading the haka in the last video reminds me of The Rock, but with more intensity.)
Yeah, I’ve really enjoyed the concept of flash mobs the last few years. I happened to be living in the Seattle area when the Doonesbury strip about Howard Dean came out (http://www.komonews.com/news/archive/4104521.html). In a case of life imitating art, the flash mob suggested in the strip actually took place, and I was part of it.
Improv Everywhere has been keeping it alive and spreading it, but adding haka to the mix makes an extra strong brew of kick-ass.