THE POI-DANCE - A Maori Legend

Baba Indaba Children's Stories issue 466

ISSN: 2397-9607 Issue 466
In this 466th issue of the Baba Indaba’s Children's Stories series, Baba Indaba narrates a Maori Legend - "The Poi Dance – A Maori Legend”.

ONCE, UPON A TIME, a long, long time ago and far, far away, out of the semi-darkness of the whare-puni (house hall) a shrill voice is heard ringing, and soon is accompanied by other voices and by clapping of hands, beating time for a poi-dance.
Discordantly the first voice pierces the bustle, and laughter there is, and moving and shifting, to make room for the dancers, for the girls and the young women.

Graceful figures dressed in piu-pius come forward, coyly and laughing, with whirling of pois, taking up their positions, and all is clamour of getting ready for an amusement, highly enjoyed by spectators and dancers.

So what is a Poi and what is the Legend out of which the Poi dance was created? To find the answers to these questions, and others you may have, you will have to download and read this story to find out!

NOTE: In Māori mythology Hawaiki is the place where Io, the supreme being, created the world and its first people. It is the place from which each person comes, and it is where each will return after death.

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Baba Indaba is a fictitious Zulu storyteller who narrates children's stories from around the world. Baba Indaba translates as "Father of Stories".

Each issue also has a "WHERE IN THE WORLD - LOOK IT UP" section, where young readers are challenged to look up a place on a map somewhere in the world. The place, town or city is relevant to the story. HINT - use Google maps.
It is our hope that in looking up these place names, using Google Maps, that young people will be able to see images and read about other peoples and cultures from around the world. Through this activity, it is also our hope that young people will not only increase their world geography but also increase their understanding and tolerance of other people and cultures.

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