Forums > Technical Discussion > do someone kwow something about the maori martial art

Posted: 25th Mar 2002
Welcome, opm22!I'm not too sure how much information you will find on Maori martial arts, but if you look around, "Poi Lessons" will show you some of the basic moves used. I'm betting since you have been spinning for a year you've got most of them down. If you need more advanced moves, I might suggest the Circle of Lights video from the shop.keep spinning!tony

Posted: 25th Mar 2002
Tony is right.I'm not sure if this is what you are asking, OPM, but to my understanding, traditional moari poi were never used in battle. They were used as training tools, particularly for strengthening the wrists and for dances as well.Traditional poi are soft (ish) balls made from flax with short strings (also flax), very few of the motions are similar to what is termed poi on this site, and most of the dances involve hitting the ball directly with hand or or another body part to change direction, not wraps, a body hit.As for martial arts, that's most likely to be taiaha (Tie uhh Hah), the Maori form of staff combat, which there is very little literature that I've been able to find (anyone who knows otherwise please email me with details, please please please...), well actually none so far, but there are groups who teach it at the odd school and community group.Not that martial arts is probably the correct term, it is quite different to the varied styles you may be thinking of...------------------Charles (AKA INFERNO)newdolbel@hotmail.comhttps://juggle.co.nz/fire/fire.html

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Posted: 25th Mar 2002
Does this help anyone?Te Mana (Sydney)96846397 Sydney Australia email temana@ihug.com.au This is the Official Training Site for the TE MANA COMBAT SYSTEM founded by Brook B Tu ... A unique and powerful style of Defense and Combat. Mäori Weaponry 2000Tat MahuruPhone 09 832-89392/9 Cedar Heights Massey Auckland N.Z. email weaponry2000@maori-arts.com If you have an interest in all sorts of Maaori Weaponry. Want to know any information, conferences, different schools that teach this. Nau mai 'aere mai, taura 'ere'ere ki te puuta'i, 'ei 'ura ki te ao...." Contact name Tat Mahuruemail heartbeatofnz@yahoo.com.au Fighting Arts of New ZealandBesides hand to hand combat the people of New Zealand also use various weapons. Each weapon having its own training and general style as well as personal adaptation of that style. Some of the traditional weapons used by Maori's are as follows: check out this website ------------------Blessings to all, Peter "When you find yourself in the company of a halfling and an ill-tempered Dragon, remember, you do not have to outrun the Dragon ...you just have to outrun the halfling."

Blessings to all,
Peter
When you find yourself in the company of a halfling and an ill-tempered Dragon, remember, you do not have to outrun the Dragon ...you just have to outrun the halfling.

Posted: 26th Mar 2002
thanks for your help I find out the name of these arts they are called MAU and MAU RAKAU but unfortunatly they keep it like a secret.The people in Ecuador told me about the history of malavares and there are also some sources in south america do someone knows more about that ?? The Eskimos worked also on a technic with balls ! I'm just try to find out the origine of these technic, to maybe combine diferrents technics and find finaly more new moves.

peace and light

Posted: 1st Oct 2006
Kia ora Bro! my name is Tihoi and a warrior of the warrior school on the mountain of Pirongia, New Zealand. I am a Maori and practice the ancient arts of our Ancestors. I have been practicing this art for the better part of 15 years and have been a practioner of other martial arts. The art of staff fighting for us has alot of conceptual movements, linking us back to the our surroundings and geneaologies of our people. A spiritual art mannifested through the flight and the connectedness of both staff and Warrior. There has been mentioned that most martial art do not touch the staff until body is firmly balanced. This is true in some circumstances. For the maori of old you were taught the traditional wrestings, and hand arts when a child games that quicken the wit and gave agility were used and adapted in the normal running of young warriors play. We also were taught the dark arts to assist the warrior in the art of destroying a persons life force in many cases many battles did not reach the battle field, certain curse rituals and whaiwhaia were used to destoy the enemy by using the mind. Today we hope that this art is not being used but their are many other techniques of practices that are not appropiate to the training of the warrior today. Simpily because of the potency and negative enegies they give out. But there is a practice maintain throughout the Warrior school and the performing arts arena that we still maintain. The art of the poi were used and still used to give balance to left and right side of the brain in the hope to coordinate and give flexibility to the wrists in which were vital to the manipulation of the Staff. I do reccomend that you go to [colour www.gotuatara.co.nz on their website is a poi dvd that can be purchased. Well bro I hope this has helped out, give us chat back if you want to hear about the art in detail. Much love and Light Tihoi

Posted: 4th Oct 2006
wow,

that is about as infomative and friendly as it gets about mouri martial art.

secret isnt half of it...

T

This is a post by tom, all spelling is deleberate
-><- Kallisti

Posted: 6th Oct 2006
Thanks a lot for your contribution Tihoi, that is great to have you here.

And for others who are interested, Nick Woolsey picked up a good book written by an older woman who is a long time practitioner of the dance/story side of Poi, very detailed. He might pass on to you the name and how to get it if you ask him nicely.

.....Can't juggle balls but I sure as hell can juggle details....