What does the Pukana mean?

What does the Pukana mean?

stare wildly or dilate the eyes
Pukana – meaning to stare wildly or dilate the eyes, this is done by both men and women during dances or songs to emphasize certain words and their meanings and to add excitement to the performance.

What is a Whetero?

Performers in a haka use many other body motions and expressions which may include bulging eyes (pukana), sticking out of the tongue (whetero), stomping feet (Waewae takahia), and slapping the body with their hands.

What is the history behind Pukana?

The origin of the art of pukana, the wild distorting of the countenance and glaring eyes seen in posture dancing is said to be traced to the koukou or owl. The owl had been disturbed and irritated by the restless fantail, a small forest bird that is ever flitting about, and so glared wildly at the harmless creature.

Why do Māori men stick out their tongues?

Traditionally it is meant to welcome visitors, but also to (again) demonstrate their power and readiness to fight should the visitors decide to attack. One of the typical moves in a Haka is for the males to stick their tongue out and bulge their eyes.

What is the history of Pukana?

Why do Māori people stick out their tongues?

What do poi dancers wear?

On the marae, the dancers are wearing practice clothes, such as T-shirts, shorts, and sneakers. In the Māori performance we see at the competition, the female dancers wear piupiu (skirts) and a pari (bodice) made in a tāniko design. Tāniko is finger weaving. The women also wear a headband called a tipare.

Why do haka dancers stick out their tongues?

One of the typical moves in a Haka is for the males to stick their tongue out and bulge their eyes. It is both funny and scary to see, and the traditional meaning of the move is to say to the enemy “my mouth waters and I lick my lips for soon I will taste your flesh”.

Where did the Maori people of New Zealand come from?

The Māori settlement of New Zealand represents an end-point of a long chain of island-hopping voyages in the South Pacific. The Māori originated from settlers who migrated to New Zealand from eastern Polynesia.

What does Pataka Kupu mean in Maori language?

He Pātaka Kupu (verb) to stare wildly, dilate the eyes — done by both genders when performing haka and waiata to emphasise particular words and to add excitement to the performance. Te Aka Ngati Kahungunu perform haka powhiri at the wedding of Maud Donnelly and Mr F Churchill Perry. Ref: PAColl-5584-02. Alexander Turnbull Library.

What was the first recorded Maori Waiata performance?

Performances of Māori waiata are among the earliest commercial audio recordings made in NZ. This DigitalNZ story features some early 78rpm disc recordings. This Digital NZ story created for the exhibition Pūkana! Moments in Māori Performance features a selection of digitised sheet music published from the 1900s to 1940s.

What does Wana and IHI mean in Maori?

The late Wharehuia Milroy explained ihi as a kind of vibration that swells up from your core, compelling you to act; wehi as a connection with atuatanga, a spiritual or god-like state; and wana as a feeling that rises up within you as a result of an action performed by someone else. These qualities also apply to contemporary Maori performance.