Hàtepe rakau and ko Maui ko matau - developing leadership and teamwork through cultural practice.

Recently in our Year 9 Kapa Haka classes (9CUL2) students, led by Miss Days, have been learning how to create a hàtepe rakau (sequences) of five movements. They then kaea (call) this for the class who follow their lead.

They have also been thoroughly enjoying playing ko Maui ko matau - a balancing stick game where players are given a long rākau (stick) and are asked to stand in a circle. When the instructor calls 'matau', players must leave the rākau they were holding and move to catch the rākau of the person immediately to their right. When 'maui' is called, the players must do the same but move to the left.

A player can get out by letting the rākau fall to the ground but can also be eliminated by not setting the rākau correctly for the next player. The ultimate goal of the game is for the whole team to move in unison and make the transition between rākau as easy as possible for the next person.

Working on their hàtepe rakau and playing ko Maui ko matau is helping to develop leadership and teamwork through cultural practice in our Year 9 students - even if they are very competitive!