Women warriors keep fighting skills alive

Feisty workouts are helping to rebuild a culture, reports ANGELA GREGORY.

The warrior in women is emerging twice a week on a West Auckland marae.

About half a dozen women regularly gather at Hoani Waititi Marae, where they attack each other and men with long sticks used as makeshift taiaha (clubs).

Te Whare Tu Taua O Aotearoa (the National School of Ancient Maori Weaponry) holds the fighting classes for adults and children over 12.

School principal Pita Sharples says that in traditional Maori society women knew how to wield the long clubs and there were many famous women warriors.

"There is a lot of ignorance that women don't know how to fight, that it is tapu, and just for men.

He says it was traditional for women to defend the pa when the men were away at war, and they also taught a selected few children mau raaku (the use of weapons).

Jacqui Matthews, aged 36, has been learning for three years and says the workout is similar to aerobics.

"It has been a stress relief and vastly improved my confidence."

The country's top-graded female fighter, Tania Stanley-Mahuru, started with the first group of women in 1990.

She says the women learn self-discipline and how to control their anger when hit.

"It's not even about the taiaha; it's about you as a person ...

"It is also something I can pass on to my children so it won't get lost.

"We are trying to retain what our tupuna [ancestors] lived for."

Dr Sharples says the process of colonisation suppressed fighting skills, so he began encouraging women to again take up the martial art in 1990, after starting the school in 1983.

"It had almost died out, with only two or three of us with the knowledge left.

"It had been tapu and only since the renaissance of Maori culture, with kohanga reo and the like, has it been given the green light."

Women brought a feminine action to the fighting and slightly modified certain squatting or stooping positions.

"But they go hard against the men, who don't let them off."

Dr Sharples estimates that 200 women are learning weapon fighting around the country.

He says it is only a matter of time before women are used at formal ceremonial occasions to wield taiaha and challenge visitors, as they do in training.

"Some people will go berserk. Others will think it is a good move."

Dr Sharples says each tribe has its own fighting style, but the drills and etiquette remain similar.

He likened the traditional technique to quarterstaff fighting in England or kendo in Japan.

The strong manuka rods used in practice are padded and cricket gloves protect the fighters' knuckles.

The secret to becoming a top fighter is to be good at defence, he says.

"It's all about footwork. You might think a lot is happening with the arms but the success of a fighter is how fast he can move on his feet, and get his body in and out of line."

Taiaha tutor James Tai Tin says he is pleased to see the positive effect the training has on Maori women.

"Our women are too often quite petrified. They don't move and are scared out of their wits ... This builds their confidence and self-esteem."