Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1886-09-01
A MAORI DANCE.
What mn Astonishcd English Tourist Saw
In tho Land of the Golden Fleece.

What mn AstOnIshed English Tourist Saw
In tho Land of the Golden Fleece.
Before tho "haka" commenced the
principal chief present made n rather
lengthy speech to the intending per-
formers. understood from the inter-
prefer present that the chief cxhorted
the corps dc ballet, both male and fe-
male, to do their very best that evening;
not to indulge in any unseemly or frivo-
lous antics-what, in American par
lance, are known as ''monkey-shines. "
Ipresmc-but to govern themselves in
strict accordance with the immutablc
traditions of the "haka," rs handed
down to them from their remote ances-
tors. Then the chief, n tall, old man,
with very sonorous voice and very
dignilied micn, sat down on low stool.
Around him crouchcd, clasping their
knees with their hands, a number OF
ancient Maori women, and then the
"hakan commenced in earnest. 1t may
not be altogether correct to term this cX-
tWordnary exhibition dance, since it
does not comprise any absolute salta-
tory movements of the extremities. 1t is
rather kind of rhythmcal stampede,
wild but measured-now ferocious, and
now sensuous. Of the words of the grim
grooming chant intoned by the per-
formers while their exerctation was at
its height, l was favored with full and
true copy in choice Maori, the chief
courteously debating the strophes and
antistrophes in precise order as they &C.
curred but no useful purpose would be
served by transcribing the Maori libret-
to here. To the vast majority OF my
readers l might as well quote the ccle-
brated "Marowski language" invented
by that eminent musician, deceased,
Mr.. Tom Cooke; nor is there any rca.
son why should drive to the verge of
insanity number of respectable COM
positors and conscientious proof-read.
ers. What my ears seemed to hear was
as follows:
HOticOt, hOticOt, hOticOt, tc tuiral
Hoticot. hoticot, hOtic0t, to taira!
Tara! laira! hoticot. taira!
And so on, ad libitum. And each repc.
titon of "Taira''-or what seemed to be
'Taira" brought about an excess OF
frenzy in the dusky Mmnads, yelling,
painting, grooming, toamng NJ the
mouth "Taira! Tura! lloticot tc taira!"
The stout matron, who might have been
the mother of six, was sight TO see,
splendid but terrific. Now fancicd that
saw Clytrmncstra. her arms purple to
the elbows with her husbands gore;
now the British warrior queen, "bccd-
ing from the Roman rods, and rouslng
the lcena TO vengeance; now Helen
Macgrcgor, railing at the Lowlandrrs.
But anon there is Il change. "lloticot
tc tara" lis on troop of frantic
Bacchantcs that ] seem to be gazing
Bacchantes, their dishelvcd locks hang
ing over their shoulders-Bacchanics
cxultant, drunken, iiercely wanton. And
then have Il vision of the .dlmecS and
Gha,Oa:ie of Egypt; and then, upon my
word, am Tor moment persuaded
that the howliag dcrvishcS of Constantl-
nople must have sisters and that 1t is to
Wairoa that they have all come. "lloti-
cot to taira!' the cry is shrilly echoed in
lne UlSlllCt. outSluc tnt "Iilc-p uiii
they tell me the small Maori boys and
girls are getting up u "haka" on their
own account. Within, another trans
formation has taken place With as
tonishing adrotness the front rank
opens, the woman retreat to the back
ground, and the men come to tho front,
They interest me now. They are pict-.
urcsquc, they are horrible. Never mind
their squalid European garb their tlan-
mel Jerseys and "slop-pants;" or, failing
those garments, their ludicrous ear
rangcment in shirt-tails.' | tell you
that it is upon their faces now that you
should look. Cleaning black eyes,
splendid teeth white and glistcning,
shock heads of black hair in which SER
penis seem to be uncoiling themselves;
the sweat beading on their bronzed
brows. | tell you that it is their barred
arms that you should mark, the muscles
gloriously developed, the hands now
slowly raised above the head rs in ador-
alton now flung wide apart, now prone,
now supine rs in cntrcaty. in dcpreca-
ton, in remonstrance; but now Extend
ed, and with bony forelingcrs pointing
to you-ycs, to yourself The eyes flash
defiance ut YOU; the teeth are CRASHED
in rage; the lips breathe curses on you,
the s'pakeha. What right have you to
an inch of their lands? Why did
your missionaries come to worry the
Maori? He had his priests, his idols,
his ancestors, his supcrstitions, and his
tapu. You have given him pigs and
potatoes and steamers, it is true; but
where are his war canoes; and in the
matter of food, what more succulcnt
could there be found than Il carefully.
baked enemy? They were the sons and
grandsons of cannibals, who were yell
ing and painting stamping and writh-
ing, trying to lash themselves, SO you
thought, into 4 paroxysm of blood
thirsty madness. And then with what
wondrous celebrity the scene changed;
the men retrcatcd, the women were
once more in the front rank, clamoring
and shricking. Now Miriam bidding
the loud tmbrel to sound, now Cassan-
dra making the shrllest and most dis
comforting of utterances now the DOOM
ed daughters of Danaus wailing over
their interminablc toll, now singing in
softer strains, us might have the harlois
of the sea when they sought to lure
Ulysses to his destruction; and all
this inexplicable tumultuous hntaniarrO,
these mutations in tongue wholly in
comprehensive to you, accompanied by
indescribable contortions and postum
ings and gesticulations-now tigerish,
now fond; now timid, now bold; but al
WAYS graceful But, oh, the pathos!
Oh, the pity of it! Through the aisle
between the ''pakehas" and the dusky
Mpnads walked tall Maori with a
short pipe, in his shirt-sleeves and "slop-
pants" and cabbage-tree hat on his
head, and bearing zinc slop-pail full
of beer. The ranks were at once brok-
en-; the performers, male and female,
sank on their launches, while the Maori
cup-bearer went slowly from group to
group gravely administering refresh
ment from his bucket The dancers
were most moderate in their potations.
Few took more than third of the glass
full of beer proiiered them, while Others
were content with the merest sip Nay,
l was afterward told that the younger
"haka" dancers, both male and female,
often decline to drink any fernented
liquor ut all, and refresh themselves
from bucket of diluted raspberry vine
gar especially provided for them. The