Mau rakau
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Mau Rakau, meaning "to grasp a weapon", is a traditional Māori martial art that developed before firearms reached New Zealand. It is a weapon fighting system that is complemented by Mau, the hand-to-hand combat system. It is very ritualised and filled with ceremony.
Mau Rakau is not very well documented and is traditionally taught only to boys. Recently it has been mentioned in some popular movies including Whale Rider.
[edit] Weapons
Mau Rakau is a term used for weapons training in the whare Tu Taua. The term Mau Taiaha is often used to refer to the use of the Taiaha weapon and does not always include the other Māori weapons listed below:
- Kotiate - A short club made from whale bone. It has an indent on each side that are used to catch and disarm an opponents weapons.
- Wahaika - A short club made from wood/whalebone. It has an indent on one side which is used to catch and disarm an opponents weapons.
- Mere-Pounamu - A short club made from greenstone, when made out wood or stone it is called a Patu/mere.
- Patu - A wooden club made in the same shape as a Mere-Pounamu.
- Maripi - A short decorative club with teeth down one edge that are used for cutting. All of the short club weapons were favoured by the brave because of the close proximity needed to despatch the adversary. The Toa who chose to go into battle with these weapons were especially feared.
- Taiaha - A long club that varies in length from five feet and longer. This is one of the most well known and commonly taught weapons of the Māori. The elite warriors of old were skilled in the Taiaha because of the poise and dexerity needed to "get in close" to see the enemy "eye to eye", the favoured proximity of the old school Toa (warriors).
- Toki Pou Tangata - An adze that is made for ceremonial occasions. The greenstone head is intricately carved.
- Tewhatewha - A long club that is decorated with anything from feathers to live birds.
- Pou Whenua - A long club that can be made from the rib or jaw bone of a whale.
- Hoe - A long club that can be uses as a boat paddle or a weapon.
- Tao - a long spear that was the weapon of choice by a majority of the warriors of old each measuring from 7ft - 8ft long.
One fighting style and their routines for using the Taiaha are taught in regular schools on Mokoia Island in Rotorua.
[edit] Spirituality and Mythology
The style has a spiritual base with mythology. It is said that the taiaha and patu weapons were handed down by Tanemahuta the God of the Forest and Tumatauenga God of war, the two sons of Ranginui and Papatuanuku.
Whare Tu Taua (School of War) is the classic term which covers the basics of educating young toa (warrior) in the art of war. Whare Tu Taua is governed by the god Tu (which means to stand), which makes up part of its name. Tu is a son of Rangi (sky) and Papa (earth), and he represents the Māori disposition to conflict. He has many names that all govern a domain of war, combat, and its associated rituals.
