NCEA Level 1 Ngā Mahi a te Rēhia flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Ngā Mahi a te Rēhia

The Māori term for the performing arts, covering haka, waiata, poi, mōteatea and related forms; it emphasises enjoyment and collective participation rather than passive entertainment.

Haka

A Māori posture dance performed with vigorous movement and vocal delivery; it can express welcome, challenge, mourning or celebration and is not limited to one mood.

Waiata

The general Māori word for song; it covers many forms including mōteatea and waiata ā-ringa, each with its own delivery and movement conventions.

Mōteatea

A traditional Māori lament or chant, often performed without instrumental accompaniment; its sustained delivery carries historical and genealogical narrative.

Waiata ā-ringa

A Māori action song in which hand movements illustrate the words of the lyric; the movement follows the text rather than being purely decorative.

Poi

Both a ball on a cord and a performance form using it; poi are swung in rhythm and may be performed seated or standing, coordinated with sung or chanted text.

Kapa haka

The modern Māori performing arts group and competitive context; items are judged on diction, movement, expression, unity and the spirit conveyed.

Kaitā

The leader of a haka or chant; this person gives the call, sets the pitch and pace, and cues the group's entry.

Kaitito

A composer; in Māori performing arts a composer is usually attributed alongside the item, linking the performance to whakapapa and to the iwi who hold it.

Kaihaka

A performer in a haka group; the term identifies the individual within the collective and is used in kapa haka contexts.

Pūkana

A deliberate facial expression in Māori performance in which the eyes widen sharply; it intensifies emotion or challenge and is a controlled convention, not an accident.

Whētero

A deliberate gesture in Māori performance in which the tongue is protruded; it intensifies challenge or emotion and is a controlled convention within the item.

Te reo

The Māori language; in performance it refers to the language of the text, and correct pronunciation and diction are central judging criteria.

Rangi

Tune or melody; in performance analysis rangi is distinguished from reo (voice) and from the movement elements that accompany the item.

Te wairua

The spirit or feeling conveyed in a performance; it is a recognised quality that distinguishes a technically correct performance from a moving one.

Whakapapa

Genealogy and lineage; in Māori performing arts it links an item to its composer, tribe and context, and informs how and by whom it should be performed.

Marae

The communal Māori meeting place; many performance items are composed for a specific marae, and performing them elsewhere changes their context.

Iwi

A Māori tribe or extended kinship group; items are often held by an iwi, and attribution to the iwi is part of correct performance practice.

Call and response

A performance pattern in which a leader sings or chants a line and the group answers; the group's entry point is a fixed cue in the text.

Unison response

The main body of a haka or song performed by the whole group together; it follows the leader's call and establishes the item's collective impact.

Final flourish

The closing section of a haka or song; it typically intensifies movement and voice and signals the end of the item to the audience and judges.

Kapa

A group or team; in performing arts it refers to the performing group, and the term underpins the word kapa haka.

Kanohi

Facial expression; in performance it is a named element alongside voice and movement, and it carries much of the item's emotional meaning.

Ngā ringa

Hand and arm movement; in waiata ā-ringa and poi the hands illustrate the lyric and must stay synchronised with the sung text.

Takahanga

Footwork and stepping; in standing haka and poi it establishes rhythm and must align with the beat and with the group's formation.

Haka taparahi

A haka performed without weapons, using body and voice alone; it is distinguished from haka forms that involve held implements.

Haka peruperu

A haka performed with weapons and characterised by vigorous jumping; the jumping is a defining feature that distinguishes it from other haka forms.

Wero

A ritual challenge, historically involving a warrior testing visitors; in modern contexts it is a formal element of pōwhiri rather than a performing arts item.

Pōwhiri

A formal Māori welcome ceremony; it includes speechmaking and performance, and haka and waiata may form part of the sequence.

Karanga

The high-pitched call performed by women during pōwhiri; it is a distinct vocal form with its own conventions and is not a haka.

Whaikōrero

Formal Māori speechmaking; it follows its own conventions and often precedes or follows performance items on the marae.

Diction

Clarity and correctness of pronunciation and word delivery; in kapa haka judging it is a central criterion, alongside movement and expression.