I’ve told you recently about some of the tribulations of having children but the good bits make it all worth it. Six year old Little Mr. has been on overdrive breaking our faces with mirth recently… so here’s something to make you smile:
Scenario:
(Himself has just left for his language class and I’ve had a particularly painful day after physiotherapy so am on the bed with my foot up on cushions.)
Little Mr. bounds in to the room and says ” Mama… !!! um … …Where’s Papa?“
I tell him Papa has left for class, but “could I help you with anything?”
He looks hesitant, then says ” I’m busting for the toilet but I can’t reach the light in the toilet..”
He brings my crutches over, “Can you come?“
(I know he can reach the light), so I say ” Well, why not just get the little step stool and use it to turn the light on?“
He fidgets a bit, then blurts out ” actually I really can reach the light, …but I’m scared of the dark“
I tell him that ” he’s a big boy now that he’s just turned six, and six year olds can put the big hall light on, as well as the toilet light and that I’m just here close by so he doesn’t need to be scared. He can keep the toilet door open, and our bedroom door and I’m just a little bit down the hall, not far away, but I really don’t need to be there as I think he can easily manage to do this by himself”.
He wants desperately to be a “big boy” (and he’s now very desperate to pee) so he disappears towards the toilet…
.. then, after a few seconds: down the hall I hear his little, very high pitched squeaky voice trying very hard to sound fierce,
Ka mate! Ka mate! Ka ora! Ka ora!
Ka mate! Ka mate! Ka ora! Ka ora!
Tenei te tangata puhuru huru….
(The first words of a Maori Haka)
Bless him!….my little man trying to make himself brave…
(It’s a riot to listen to his little six year old voice doing this! and I HAVE to keep a straight face afterwards: that’s a true parenting struggle LOL)
Some of you might be a little bit familiar with the New Zealand Haka. If you have ever seen the New Zealand Rugby team play, it’s a tradition that they do a short version of one before the game kicks off.
Traditionally, a Haka (and there are many possible versions of a Haka) was done by a Maori tribe, facing their enemy before battle, it summons strength, courage and is supposed to scare off both your opponent and evil spirits. This means that Little Mr. although not yet interested or versed in the history of it, is, by accident, was using his Haka for exactly the purpose for which it is intended.
I can tell you that a Maori Haka, is a very spiritual event and if you are ever privileged to personally witness one done by large group of people, the hair on the back of your neck will be standing on end and the atmosphere will electrically charged with an amazing feeling , the memory of which will remain with you all your days. It’s very special.
In New Zealand, there are even Haka competitions, and entire schools compete against one another.
(“Intense New Zealand All Blacks Haka War Dance”, by RugyZone on YouTube)
(“Sacred Heart College School HAKA 08″ by JMSTILLY on YouTube)
And a funny favourite version. that has echo’s of Little Mr’s lone voice… the (“Gingerbread Haka” by Bongoman5 on YouTube)
