2. EVOLUTION

The 19^th Century there was a lot of things going on in terms of politically government trying to exterminate Māori culture and ban our traditions and language. Which, Māori found ways to still perform their traditions such as making tourism groups which you could say were the first kind of Kapa haka. Christian missionaries tried to stop Māori practising their songs and chants. They encouraged Māori to sing hymns and European songs instead. In the 1880s kapa haka groups began performing for tourists, often using European melodies with Māori words. Some concert groups toured overseas. Important visitors such as the British royal family were welcomed with traditional ceremonies, including haka. Kapa haka was also featured at celebrations of Māori organisations such as the Ringatū Church and the Kīngitanga (Māori King movement).

The 20^th century saw the welcoming of the waiata a ringa which were modern songs accompanied by guitar as I said before hand. While the First World War was in action Māori leader Sir Āpirana Ngata encouraged kapa haka to raise funds for their Māori Soldiers’. He collected many traditional waiata and speeches.

The 21^st century introduces the kapa haka world with more props and out of the box. There is still the use of taking modern tunes and putting it into the items. There are now bigger stages to give the rōpū more space for creativity. We have people bring fire, water, food, non-traditional weapons, and more post-colonial instruments. We have costume changes and more political driven topics. What is different to the old days I would say is the lack of humour in the performances. Back in the early 1980-1990 rōpū were more cheekier and relaxed. Whereas these days kapa haka can be quite proper, sharp, formal and in some ways conservative. As Kapa haka evolves I think it is going to do a U turn and head more back to its traditional origins which were less chaotic and explosive and more simple and straight to the point.

Kapa haka has further evolved into a form of Maori contemporary arts known as Haka Theatre. Haka theatre encompasses Kapa Haka and combines elements of Maori movement, acting and contemporary dance. It is performed in a theatre and has a similar focus and structure as mainstream style theatre swinging towards symbolism and tragedy. Known for today’s form of Haka Theatre that practiced this form is a company called Hawaiki Tu. Their main purpose and messages they hold within their shows are intertwined with “showing Maori in a better light”. Furthermore, arguing that Maori have majority of the negative statistics in the present day (Gaps between ethnic groups: some key statistics, 2000). Hawaiki tu goal is to create a better lifestyle for Maori people, they give them hope to aspire to be proud and embrace their culture.

To this present day unitec third year students are doing a form of Haka theatre where they are doing the famous Euripides play the Baccae but in Māori with kapa haka as its base. The times are changing and I cannot wait to see the benefits of haka theatre for the Performing arts industry.