- Title: Haka an "integral component" of the Maori mourning process says expert
- Date: 22nd March 2019
- Summary: HAMILTON, NEW ZEALAND (MARCH 22, 2019) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (ENGLISH) ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR AT UNIVERSITY OF WAIKATO IN NEW ZEALAND, TE MAHAUTU MAXWELL SAYING: "The purpose of the haka is to arouse emotions, it is to elicit, the emotions of the listener or the audience - so that's the role, so, if you were to sit and watch a group of strangers come together and perform a haka, it'll hit you right in the - the centre of your heart. And it'll make the hairs on the back of your neck, stand up."
- Embargoed: 5th April 2019 09:34
- Keywords: Haka shooting mass shooting Christchurch victims mosque attacks maori
- Location: TAURANGA , HAMILTON, AUCKLAND, CHRISTCHURCH, NEW ZEALAND
- City: TAURANGA , HAMILTON, AUCKLAND, CHRISTCHURCH, NEW ZEALAND
- Country: New Zealand
- Topics: Crime/Law/Justice
- Reuters ID: LVA006A73PLJB
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: The traditional posture dance of Haka is a "very integral component" of the Maori mourning process, according to an academic expert on Friday (March 22) as New Zealanders performed the haka to honour the victims of a mass shooting.
"It sends the dead on its journey to the underworld. Second, it's a vehicle to show compassion, it's a vehicle to show love," said Associate Professor at University of Waikato, Te Mahautu Maxwell who added that the dance is also used as a proxy to vent anger.
Since the shooting last Friday (March 15) that left 50 dead, people including students, biker gang members and ordinary citizens have performed the haka in remembrance of the victims.
"It’s also a show of resilience that New Zealand will stand together, and not allow that act of terrorism to change our safe way of living," added Maxwell.
(Production: Ryan Brooks, Travis Teo) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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