MAORI DANCES & GAMES.

Otaki Mail, 28 February 1919, Page 4

MAORI DANCES & GAMES.

' The old-time war dances, hakas,. poi, laud canoe exercises are very rapidly ' falling into disuse amongst the Maoris,' 'ami instead of being a regular daily (part of Maori children's education, as I pi old times, they have practically alj r -adv become accomplishments only (learned and practised by" a few for i special occasions. The old movements, itoo, =ue degenerating by the iutroducItion in some instances oC variations ■■ suggested by European dances. The old !; Maori games are also said to Ik- dying iout, displaced by those of the white I settlers. Therefore, the suggestion of 1 the Hon. A. T. Kgata, M.P., that the ! a! ,cient war dunces, hakas, etc., should i be placed on imperishable record be- ! fore they are forgotten altogether, is lone that will commend itself to every lover o!' Maoriluncl. An'excellent opportunity for furthering this object will I be afforded by the great gathering of : Maoris to be hold on the East Coast I early next month, and it is intended by the Government to agree to Mr Ngata's request and secure a number of" cinematograph pictures as a permanent record of native dances and games. It is to be hoped that some care will be taken at once by organisation to ensure that the very best and i most accurate representations of the • various movements will bo presented. We have on previous occasions pointed out that the Maori war dances were not merely intended to work up a war- ; like spirit for special occasions, but I really formed a well-devised and woiij'dorfuliy co-ordinated system of physical culture. The splendid carriage. strength, and perfection of form of the old-time Maoris were always the subject of admiring comment by ''"''" ( ' : '- v " licr arrivals'in New Zealand, anil we lUC convinced that these qualities were r|„ c to the Maori system of physical jcultuie. The intelligence of the Maori

! T mvsical experts that devoiopement of the body is accompanied by expansion of the mini!. Anyone who has witnessed Maori war dances and hakas. and who also has some acquaintance with the Swedish or other systems of physical exercises, must have been ! struck with the superiority in many I respects of the Maori over the Euro- ' penu methods. 1,, the war dance every part of the body—feet, hands, lingers. ; eves, tongue, head, arms. le<rs, and ■trunk are all systematically exercised, ! and deep-breathing comes in as part of 1 the scheme, every exercise being ppr- , formed in nicely regulated sequence j and in perfectly balanced time. In the hakas many of the same movements : are made, with the addition of the diaphragmatic and abdominal action. It is our opinion that if all the movements : of the old Maori war dances, hakas. canoe and poi dances were . carefully systematiscd and tabulated in the same way as the Swedish drill, a New Zealand system of physical education would be evolved which would be the finest in the world. The physical development of the old Maori race was positive proof of its value. Some day a New Zealand physical expert may take the same view as ourselves, and set seriously to work to develop a New Zealand system of physical culture which will be as much superior in virile effectiveness to the Swedish as the strength of an electric lamp is to a caudle. The taking of moving pictures of these Maori exorcises while there are still left Maoris who can efficiently perform them will not only hnve the historical interest attached to

them us required by Mr Ngata, but will afford the necessary data for a possible purely New Zealand system of..physical drill which will excel all others.