By Erin Durrett
Friday September 18th we on Vashon will have a chance to learn the sacred dance of fire, passion, devotion to the ancestors, the Earth, and all beings – haka, the great dance of the Māori people of Aotearoa, New Zealand. This ancient dance carries powerful symbolism and spiritual power, and is fun and easy enough for everyone in the family to do. The indigenous Māori have shared this tradition with all people, and it has become a celebration of shared human sovereignty.
My first glimpse of the haka was the celebration at the end of the film Whale Rider. As I watched Māori villagers dancing on the beach, the energy, pride, and love of their community captivated me. A search of the internet brought me to videos of the All Blacks, New Zealand’s rugby team. They do a haka before every match as a challenge to the opposing team – wow! Haka is also done by friends and family at traditional Māori weddings, and as a way for the community to honor the dead at their passing.
There is a great YouTube video of a young Māori member of the NZ parliament starting a haka on the house floor while slowly tearing up a bill that would degrade the rights of the Māori people – and she was joined by the hundreds of people watching the proceedings from the gallery! This was a thundering moment not only of truth to power – this was truth from power, the voice of the power of the people!
Amelia Butler, is founder of Learn Māori Abroad, an online academy where she and her staff teach Te Ao Māori – the cultural and spiritual traditions of her home country, as well as Te Reo Māori – the indigenous language of Aotearoa, New Zealand. She will be teaching haka on Friday, September 18th from 4-6pm at the Tree of Life Center, 17331 Vashon Hwy SW. Cost is $55 pre-paid (Venmo@AmeliaButler), $65 at the door.
Haka is for the whole family, so if you have kids and family members who’d like to come, let Amelia know and she’ll give you a family rate. Email her at: learnmaoriabroad@gmail.com
Amelia will also be offering a few one-on-one sessions of mirimiri, the traditional healing modality of Aotearoa New Zealand. Mirimiri is a hands-on body work practice that taps into the emotional, spiritual and relational realms, offering support to all parts of you. This is a powerful practice for clearing ancestral/stuck/stagnant energy and restoring balance and equilibrium to your being, bringing you back into your center to a place of wholeness so you can move forward in your life with clarity and ease. Sessions are $150/hour. To book a session call Amelia: 818-284-5007 or email her at the address above.
For more info or help with questions you can also contact Vashon resident Erin Durrett: Thunderin42@pm.me
