Haka Cultural Workshops at Tokyo Giant Rugby Ball

Date: 30 October 2009

Tourism New Zealand is bringing a bit of New Zealand history and culture to downtown Tokyo today (Friday) by hosting a Māori cultural workshop at the Giant Rugby Ball.

About 70 high school children from Ikubunkan School will visit the Giant Rugby Ball under the Tokyo Tower. The school sends groups of students to New Zealand every year. On Sunday a second cultural workshop will be held for family groups.

Led by Māori cultural group Te Arawa, Japanese visitors to the Ball will be taken through the basics of kapa haka, including learning more about the haka, poi and the meaning behind some of the movements and rituals of a Māori welcome.

The haka is already well known in Japan through the nation’s love of rugby and long-standing interest in the New Zealand All Black team.

Tourism New Zealand Chief Executive George Hickton says the cultural workshop is a way to promote an important element of New Zealand culture and history to visitors from New Zealand’s fifth largest visitor market.

"Alongside New Zealand’s natural scenery and landscapes, our Māori culture and history is a major draw for Japanese visitors. We are delighted that Te Arawa is with us in Tokyo to provide a more in-depth workshop explaining the haka and its history and meaning," says George Hickton.

Wednesday night’s formal opening of the rugby Ball under the Tokyo Tower was covered by over 100 journalists from Japan’s 11 national television stations, 11 national newspapers and more than 40 websites.

The television coverage has been viewed by an audience estimated to be well over 34 million, while the newspapers have a total readership of 30 million. The cultural workshops are expected to prove another huge media draw.

The group of eight performers will also entertain and educate visitors in a series of daily workshops in kapa haka as they queue to enter the Ball.

The Rugby Ball Venue will be open from 28 October to 3 November and will gain enormous exposure for New Zealand as the host of the next Rugby World Cup in 2011. An estimated 7500 visitors are expected to visit the Giant Rugby Ball in Tokyo during the seven days it is open.

A national award-winning group, Te Arawa was born out of the highly acclaimed Ngati Rangiwewehi cultural group, which has previously acted as New Zealand’s cultural ambassadors at key events such as the Edinburgh Military Tattoo and the South Pacific Festival of Arts.

Kapa haka is the traditional performance art of New Zealand's Māori people. The art form is frequently performed in modern Māori society and at important New Zealand ceremonial and competitive events.

Tourism New Zealand is bringing a bit of New Zealand history and culture to downtown Tokyo today (Friday) by hosting a Māori cultural workshop at the Giant Rugby Ball.

About 70 high school children from Ikubunkan School will visit the Giant Rugby Ball under the Tokyo Tower. The school sends groups of students to New Zealand every year. On Sunday a second cultural workshop will be held for family groups.

Led by Māori cultural group Te Arawa, Japanese visitors to the Ball will be taken through the basics of kapa haka, including learning more about the haka, poi and the meaning behind some of the movements and rituals of a Māori welcome.

The haka is already well known in Japan through the nation’s love of rugby and long-standing interest in the New Zealand All Black team.

Tourism New Zealand Chief Executive George Hickton says the cultural workshop is a way to promote an important element of New Zealand culture and history to visitors from New Zealand’s sixth largest visitor market.

"Alongside New Zealand’s natural scenery and landscapes, our Māori culture and history is a major draw for Japanese visitors. We are delighted that Te Arawa is with us in Tokyo to provide a more in-depth workshop explaining the haka and its history and meaning," Mr Hickton said.

Wednesday night’s formal opening of the rugby Ball under the Tokyo Tower was covered by over 100 journalists from Japan’s 11 national television stations, 11 national newspapers and more than 40 websites.

The television coverage has been viewed by an audience estimated to be well over 34 million, while the newspapers have a total readership of 30 million. The cultural workshops are expected to prove another huge media draw.

The group of eight performers will also entertain and educate visitors in a series of daily workshops in kapa haka as they queue to enter the Ball.

The Rugby Ball Venue will be open from 28 October to 3 November and will gain enormous exposure for New Zealand as the host of the next Rugby World Cup in 2011. An estimated 7500 visitors are expected to visit the Giant Rugby Ball in Tokyo during the seven days it is open.
A national award-winning group, Te Arawa was born out of the highly acclaimed Ngati Rangiwewehi cultural group, which has previously acted as New Zealand’s cultural ambassadors at key events such as the Edinburgh Military Tattoo and the South Pacific Festival of Arts.
Kapa haka is the traditional performance art of New Zealand's Māori people. The art form is frequently performed in modern Māori society and at important New Zealand ceremonial and competitive events.

For further information please contact:
Cas Carter, Tourism New Zealand, Mob +6421 915 410 or casc@tnz.govt.nz or Sue Allen, Mob +6429 917 5466

Still and moving images of the Rugby Ball Venue are available free of charge to media Please register on www.image.net or download them at www.tourismnewzealand.com

Background

The Results So Far:

Source: Tourism New Zealand Media Release