V. HAKA OF NGATI-POROU

Te Ao Hou, Royal Tour 1953, Page 58

V. HAKA OF NGATI-POROU ‘Whiti! Whiti!’ cried the leader, ‘E!’ replied the throng; and as one man they rose, two hundred and fifty strong, and in front of each rank, at the chest, there appeared one long line of spears, held horizontally, every man grasping his own and his neighbour's. The effect was as if a tall pole were being handled by each section of the ‘taua’. ‘Tena i whiua!’ At the command the long lines of spears swung from left to right, while knee-joints were set loose, and the forest of feathers waved from right to left in movement opposite to the direction of the spears, the feet stamping and keeping time. The measured contrasting movements of the white feathers and the black spears, in perfect precision of time, pace and angle, were startling in their suggestion of machinery in motion, and enchanting at the same time by the singular grace of the combined individual action. As yet there was no fire in the action, for this was the preliminary to the great war-dance with which the Ngati-Porou were wont to strike terror into the hearts of their foes in all their wars. Presently the change came, sudden and fierce. ‘A ki waikurekure ha!’ It was a mighty shout, cutting sharp across the bugle-tone of the leader's recitative. It came with explosive effect of many detonations from the deep throats of the column, and was repeated three times. Simultaneously with the first syllable of the first roar the black spears, held horizontally in combination, rose in perfect lines of sections—rose as long, dark, vibrating crests, sweeping upwards and onwards in regular succession to their leader. They swung overhead to the full length of the arm; from overhead they swept down in majestic volume to the waist-level; and as they rose and fell they gave the impression of resistless force pressing forward. Three times they rose and fell, and all the while the strange electric insistent war-cry resounded, and the terrible ‘crescendo’ of stamping feet kept up its suggestion of remorseless pursuit to the bitter end. After the third repetition the horizontal thrust from side to side was resumed, and thus the demonstration went on alternately.