By KATHERINE HOBY
It's hip, sexy and it's happening.
The ancient Maori poi has become a hot new international trend, according to Time magazine's "Trend Alert."
Poi swinging and fire twirling - and numerous combinations and variations of the two - are lighting up the night at events and celebrations across America.
Fox News has called it "the spiritual idealist sport of choice," while Time said the "very hot" trend was "thought to have been invented by Maoris [and] now picked up by the neo-hippie party crowd."
The visual sport has previously been seen mainly at specialist festivals such as the week-long Burning Man, held in the Nevada Desert, but is now a regular feature at trendy Venice Beach in Los Angeles and New York City's touristy South Street Seaport.
While fire has been used in entertainment acts such as juggling and fire-eating for centuries, the use of fire poi has come to the fore only in the past few years.
Many beginners start with wires tipped with tennis balls or glow sticks before moving on to the more dangerous and spectacular fire poi - which basically consist of a wick on the end of a chain or wire rope.
Auckland entrepreneur Chris Wilkey is a fulltime performer and coordinator of a troupe of stiltwalkers, jugglers and fire dancers.
He first saw fire poi used in Nelson six years ago.
"There would have been no more than half a dozen performers at that time," he said.
"It's become very popular since then and it's not hard to see why. It's hot, it's sexy and very, very entertaining."
He has recently performed at halftime in Super 12 rugby matches and works with the Auckland City Council, often providing spectacular finales to events.
Wilkey admits he has a fascination with fire - while at the same time maintaining a great deal of respect for the element from which he makes a living.
"I have seen people set their face on fire," he said. "You must take care."
Fans of the artform have expressed concern that over-exposure could ruin what they describe as a coming together of a positive people.
The author of The Rhythm and Life of Poi, Ngamoni Huata, of Rotorua, said she had noticed fire-poi use increasing over the past six or seven years.
"It is because of cultures mixing and is only natural," she said.
Poi were used extensively by early Maori, Huata said.
Women used them to keep their hands flexible for weaving. Men used much heavier poi to increase coordination and strength for battle.
Fire poi would not have any place in traditional performances, Huata said.
"But really this is just the art evolving. If they [fire poi] are used in the theatrical sense, that's great.
"It enhances the poi in some way and brings it to life."
It's not just a poi, it's a hot party piece
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