Ka mate ka mate, ka ora' ka ora'

This week is our history book's "Bottom of the World" lesson, briefly outlining a bit of Australian and New Zealand ancient history. Found some very cool New Zealand stuff on hakas. Especially for relatively energetic (and sometimes distressingly violence-obsessed) little boys.

• Haka, From Wikipedia
  
  A haka is a traditional dance form of the Māori of New Zealand. It is a posture dance with shouted accompaniment, performed by a group.
  
  War haka, which had their own term, 'peruperu', were originally performed by warriors before a battle, proclaiming their strength and prowess in order to intimidate the opposition.
  
  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haka
  
  
• Haka in popular culture, also from Wikipedia
  
  The use of haka in popular culture is a growing phenomenon, especially in New Zealand. Traditionally, haka were used only in Māori cultural contexts, but today haka are used in a wide range of public occasions to impart a sense of importance of the event.
  
  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haka_in_popular_culture
  
  
• Maori Haka
  
  A mixed kapa haka team filmed in Palmerston North (Massey Uni Maori studies graduation show)(1:30s)
  
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-lrE2JcO44
  
  
• Adidas commercial (♥♥)
  
  This ad features the All Blacks, New Zealand's national rugby team, who do a haka before each match - and also happen to be the number one ranked team in the world. (31 seconds):
  
  http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x31t4r_all-blacks-maori-hakka_fun
  
  
• Explanation of the Haka of the All-Blacks, from our friend Wiki again
  
  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haka_of_the_All_Blacks
  
  
• World Cup Rugby, 2006: New Zealand v. Tonga (♥♡♥♡)
  
  Most rugby teams apparently just stand and watch the All Blacks. Not the Tongans ;) (1:03s)
  
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOWy1vHrpxo

Total fangirl aside: on the LOTR Extra Features DVDs, there's a segment on the four months or so the crew spent filming the Battle of Helm's Deep. Apparently at one point the stuntmen on the ground (mostly burly New Zealanders acting the part of Orcs and Uruk-Hai), decided to do a haka at the stuntmen on the walls (mostly slim New Zealanders being elves.) It was great and inspiring and everything, and gave everyone a bit of an adrenaline kick to counteract the tedium of long weeks spent standing in the dark getting rained on, but there was a downside. The elves got into the spirit of it too, and gave right back, and... well, stomping and yelling and sticking out your tongue and rolling your eyes, and slapping your arms, chest and thighs, may look great on an Uruk-Hai, but apparently it looks decidedly un-elvish. Some takes had to be edited for that ;)

It's apples all the way down

This is our last apple from apple picking day:



So, here's how we got rid of them. These recipes are not mine; I just found 'em and cooked 'em. The recipe blurbs are also not mine, unless they're in italics.

Oh and the apples we picked at the orchard were McIntoshes & Empires, but we didn't know which was which so we just used 'em wherever apples were called for. It's weird, going to an orchard; McIntoshes & Empires are nothing alike at the grocery store, but these McIntoshes were very firm, and tasted a lot more tart than store Macs. A lot sweeter and juicier than store Empires, too. The owner of the orchard showed us how to tell the difference: polish them well, and the ones where the pips look sharp ("Like a starry night") are Empires, and the ones that look a bit blurry ("Like a cloudy night") are Macs.

Or maybe it was the other way round. Didn't matter; they all looked like a semi-hazy night to us. ::shrug::

Also: anywhere a recipe said chicken breasts, we used thighs.

( I gotcher apples right here, baby: (Ontario Apple and Potato Rösti, Saucy Chicken Apple Sauté, Smoky Ontario Apple Oka Bites, Apple & Squash Soup, Apple & Spinach Salad, Apple Cinnamon Muffins, Chicken With Apples, Spiced Beef With Apples) )