Challenge #11 - Toku Tinana

Learning Ka Mate - written by Fotu

On wednesday afternoon the boys from kapa haka went to the hall for kapa haka practise. Two teachers from a kapa haka group came to teach us a haka. Their names were Matua Kingi and Matua Haven. The haka we are learning is about a man called Te Rauparaha. The part I liked the most about Matua Haven and Matua Kingi was when they helped the juniors who were struggling with the haka and the pukana. I thought it was fun when we had a pukana challenge, we had to grab a partner and on three we both did a pukana. The goal was NOT to laugh, if you laughed, you were out. 

The story of Te Rauparaha

Te rauparaha was a Māori rangatira and war leader of the Ngāti Toa tribe who took a leading part in the Musket Wars. He was on the run because he killed many people and people wanted to kill him. While he was running he saw this lady in her garden planting kumara in her pit. This lady had hairy legs. Te Rauparaha asked the lady if he could hide in the pit, she agreed so he went inside and the lady covered it and sat down on the pit. When the 2 men who was trying to kill him came, they asked the lady " Hey! where's Te Rauparaha" The lady said " I don't know" so the two men left. After they left Te Rauparaha got up and said " HAHAHA you suckers" “Ka Mate! ka mate!“Ka Ora! ka ora!”“Ka ora, ka ora! Tēnei te tangata pūhuruhuru nāna nei i tiki mai whakawhiti te rā!” “Upane, kaupane” “Whiti te rā! Hi!”. And then Te Rauparaha was safe.

Ka Mate, Ka Mate

Haka: Ka Mate, Ka Mate

Ka Mate was composed by Chief Te Rauparaha of Ngāti Toa in 1820. He was being chased by an enemy and needed to find shelter. He was offered shelter by another chief Te Wharerangi and his wife(known as the hairy woman) who let him hide in one of his kūmara pits. Thanks to chief Te Wharerangi and his wife, Te Rauparaha lived to see the sun again.

Te Rauparaha