Ritual by Dimitris Xygalatas

Author:Dimitris Xygalatas [XYGALATAS, DIMITRIS]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company
Published: 2022-09-13T00:00:00+00:00

In January 2016 a YouTube video of Aaliyah and Benjamin Armstrong’s wedding reception in New Zealand went viral, getting over 20 million views within hours. The three-minute clip showed many of those in attendance performing a traditional Maori ceremonial dance known as the haka. This is a very physical group dance, involving vigorous synchronised movements such as pounding the chest and thighs and stamping the feet on the ground, accompanied by fierce posturing and loud rhythmic shouting. A successful haka performance is said to elicit ihi, which is a hair-raising feeling of exhilaration experienced by performers and observers alike.

The performance was organised by the groom’s best man as a tribute to the couple’s Polynesian heritage. In the video the groom’s older brother can be seen leading a group of groomsmen and bridesmaids in a performance that moves the bride and groom to tears. Before long the couple and many of the guests join in the performance. At the end of the choreography the dancers are seen sweating and panting, exhausted from the physical effort and deeply emotional, affectionately hugging one another in a manifestation of the ritual’s bonding effects.

Judging from this video, one might be surprised to hear that the haka has commonly been performed as a war dance, meant to fill those who perform it with aggression and intimidate the enemy before battle. Even in the absence of warfare, this dance is still performed by some military units in New Zealand. Perhaps more famously, it is also done by the members of the New Zealand national rugby team, the All Blacks, in front of their opponents before each game as a menacing display of power and defiance. When I visited New Zealand, I attended one such event, where a group of Maori danced in unison, beating their chests, stomping and letting out thunderous cries as they faced the audience, myself among them, with intimidating expressions on their faces. But this was no war dance. The haka is not used just to convey aggression towards opponents but also to show hospitality to friends. On a variety of occasions it can be performed to honour distinguished guests, mark important events or welcome visitors.

The dual nature of this Maori tradition is not unique. The hosa is a war dance performed by Shia tribes in southern Iraq. It involves synchronised movements and chants that are said to produce a state of exaltation that acts as a stimulant for warriors before facing their enemies. But the same ritual is also performed on happy occasions, such as marriages and important holidays. When Saddam Hussein visited the territory of those tribes, they performed a hosa in his honour. How can the same rituals move people to tears but also induce antipathy towards others?

Collective rituals are powerful social technologies that can excite, elevate and unite individuals into cohesive units, and even inspire them to create myth, religion and other meaningful pursuits. But, like all technologies, they can be used for better or for worse. It would be

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