NCEA L1 Te Ao Haka flashcards

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

Te Ao Haka

The Māori performing arts learning area covering haka, waiata, poi, and mau rākau. It includes composition, performance, and the cultural context that gives each item meaning.

Haka

A composed performance with set words, tune, and movement. Haka express many purposes including welcome, grief, celebration, and protest, not only warfare.

Waiata

A sung composition, often with movement. Waiata carry history, emotion, and tribal identity, and are classified by function such as lament or love song.

Kaitito

The composer of a haka or waiata. Identifying the kaitito helps explain the item's purpose, occasion, and the community it belongs to.

Kaihaka

A performer of haka and related items. Kaihaka are responsible for accurate words, movement, and conveying the intended feeling to the audience.

Kaea

The leader of a haka or waiata performance. The kaea calls cues, sets pitch and pace, and may perform solo sections that guide the group.

Whakapapa

Genealogy and lineage linking people to iwi, hapū, marae, and ancestors. Whakapapa underpins a performer's connection and right to particular items.

Tikanga

Customary protocols and correct practice. In performance, tikanga covers pronunciation, dress, roles, and acknowledgement of an item's source community.

Te reo clarity

Clear, correct pronunciation and diction in performance. Poor clarity obscures meaning, so reo accuracy is judged as part of the overall performance quality.

Rangi

The melody, pitch, and tune of a sung or chanted item. Rangi choices affect mood and help distinguish item types such as laments and lively pātere.

Takahia

Footwork in haka performance, including stamping and stance changes. Takahia mark rhythm, add impact, and can signal shifts in intensity or meaning.

Ringaringa

Hand and arm actions that illustrate or reinforce the words. Ringaringa are coordinated with lyrics so movement and meaning align.

Kanohi

Facial expression, including eye focus and pukana. Kanohi convey emotion and intent, and are assessed as part of performance impact rather than decoration.

Te wairua

The spirit or feeling conveyed in performance. Strong wairua means the performer communicates the item's emotion and purpose, not merely recites it.

Poi

A performance art using poi, balls attached to cords, swung in rhythmic patterns. Poi are performed with waiata and require coordination and timing.

Mau rākau

A performance art using weapon-like implements such as the taiaha or patu. It demands strong stance, precision, and coordinated movement sequences.

Waiata tangi

A lament composed to express grief, often for the dead. Its slower, mournful character and lyrics signal mourning within the wider waiata category.

Waiata aroha

A love song expressing affection or longing. Its lyrics and gentler melodic character distinguish it from laments and lively chant forms.

Pātere

A fast, rhythmic chant, often used to express grievance or defend reputation. Its rapid delivery and driving rhythm distinguish it from slower waiata.

Oriori

A lullaby composed for a child, often carrying genealogy and tribal knowledge. Oriori pass history and identity to the next generation through song.

Mōteatea

A traditional chant form with poetic, often archaic language. Mōteatea preserve history and emotion, and are usually performed without the movement of haka.

Kaupapa

The purpose, subject, or theme of an item. Identifying kaupapa helps explain why the composer wrote it and what the performance aims to communicate.

Take

The issue or reason behind a composition, such as a grievance, death, or celebration. The take shapes the tone and content of the item.

Haka pōwhiri

A haka performed during formal welcome on the marae. It supports the pōwhiri process and signals the hosts' intent to welcome visitors onto the marae.

Pukana

A wide-eyed facial expression used for emphasis at key moments. Pukana heighten intensity and direct the audience's attention to important words or actions.

Whetero

Protruding the tongue as a facial expression in performance. It is used for emphasis and intensity at specific moments, not throughout an item.

Marae

The communal meeting place with its wharenui, courtyard, and associated spaces. Marae are contexts where haka and waiata are performed according to tikanga.

Iwi and hapū

Iwi are tribes and hapū are sub-tribes. These groupings hold distinct repertoires, and items are usually identified by their iwi or hapū source.

Performance analysis

Explaining how specific choices in words, movement, and expression create meaning. It links observed features to the composer's purpose rather than listing features.

Dynamics

Changes in volume, pace, and intensity during performance. Dynamics build and release tension, and can mark transitions between sections of an item.

Rārangi kupu

The lines and structure of the words in an item. Understanding structure helps performers place cues, breaths, and movement changes accurately.

Whakawātea

The section that clears or concludes a performance, often the final exit movement. It brings the item to a controlled close and releases the group.

Mana of performance

The prestige and integrity carried by an item and its performers. Performing another community's item without mandate can diminish mana and breach tikanga.