Magnifying Māori culture New Zealand Club seeks to showcase its language and teach cultural respect through song and dance
Club members say performing in M āori in a respectful and proper way is important to perserve their culture. Members are shown practicing in the Heber J. Grant Building. Photo by Chad Hsieh
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KE ALAK A ’I
BY EMILY CASSLER While they prepared for the Winter 2020 Semester Culture Night that was canceled due to COVID-19, New Zealand (Aotearoa) Club members said they hoped to bridge gaps that come from different upbringings. Club members said they wanted to showcase the Māori language and teach cultural respect through their performance. Club President Devon Beatson, a sophomore from Whangarei, New Zealand, studying social work and psychology, worked behind the scenes to honor her culture. “For me, Culture Night is all about celebrating culture. It isn’t a competition, but it’s just an opportunity for everyone to learn about each other,” said Beatson. Beatson said it was her first time being involved in Culture Night but she came to understand how important it is for the community to participate in Culture Night. Beatson said they planned this year to do a choral song, perform a haka and also an exit number. The girls predominantly would do the poi, which is a form of dance where weights are swung through rhythmic patterns. The boys wold do the haka, which is a traditional dance involving vigorous movement and stamping of the feet, noted Beatson. Tiare Metekingi, a freshman from Hamilton, New Zealand studying psychology, said she grew up dancing at home with friends and family and practicing the Māori language, te reo, to celebrate and keep the Māori culture alive. “Around my grandparents’ generation, the government banned te reo Māori. They said it was a dead language, and there was no use for it. They thought a lot of the Polynesian culture was savage, and their way was proper. “They would punish kids in school if they caught them speaking te reo Māori. It’s not too
