Ue-Kaha No Roto - A Southern Maori Warrior Tradition. ( Article written for Yume Dojo 2009)

[Awatea Piripi Edwin]

Ue-Kaha No Roto – Southern Maori Warrior Methods

Firstly, who are the Maori? Many generations ago on the island of Raiatea , also known as Hawaiki, warriors from all over the central pacific would gather at the sacred place called Marae Taputapuatea at the time called Ma’ari’i in the dialect of the local Polynesians. (In New Zealand the name is Matariki) At these gatherings the greatest of all Polynesian warriors would compete in martial games to assess who was the fit and able to man the many voyaging waka (canoes) that would be sent out to explore the vast ocean in search of new frontiers. These warriors would need to be highly skilled combatants, possess the highest knowledge of navigation, which used stars, currents, bird recognition and many other elements need for a people without modern compasses and scientific methods, survival skills, fishing, food gathering and esoteric knowledge. Over many centuries these warriors would gather and choose the chieftains who would lead these expeditions, which would eventually discover every habitable piece of land in the Polynesian triangle of the central Pacific. This triangle stretches north to the islands of Hawai’i, east to Rapanui (Easter Island) they even reached South America, returning with the sweet potato among other things, and south west to the largest Polynesian island group of Aotearoa and Ta Wai Pounemu known now as New Zealand. It was the Polynesians who came to New Zealand and remained here that eventually evolved into the many tribes collectively referred to as Maori in the modern era.
These Maori formed into various tribal affiliations based on genealogy often traced back to ancestors, who arrived on the voyaging canoes of centuries ago, that had departed from Hawaiki. They arrived in Aotearoa (the North Island) and Ta Wai Pounemu (the South Island) with an already highly advanced warrior training method. This method would then over many centuries, evolve into hundreds if not thousands of systems and styles of combat. Each master warrior would develop particular skills and teach this to a new generation who would then define themselves within the learning and pass on their interpretations of these to the following generations and so on, just as the warriors who headed north and east did the same in the new lands the came to.
Many aspects of the environment affect and influenced these people in how they each evolved not only their martial skills but also their language and wider cultural nuances. Therefore it is obvious that the language and culture, including the martial arts of a tribal group in the far north of New Zealand’s North Island and those of the tribes in the far south of the South Island would diverge into differences that suited their place of existence.
I am a descendent of the southern tribes (Rabuvai, Hawea, Waitaha, Kati Mamoe and Kai Tahu are my tribes and my sub-tribe descended from all of the above is called Kati Huirapa) and my expression of these warrior arts/skills and the language and culture by which I express these is that of the southern environment. And it is from this base that I share with you these, my writings on our southern warrior tradition of Ue-Kaha No Roto.



Ue-Kaha No Roto

This is the name given to the warrior system that I teach it was given by the previous generation warrior, Poua Huata Holmes, who is the last of the elders of the old order of southern Maori.
The art is transmitted via wanaga / seminars and also by way of private tuition. The next stage of development is underway currently and involves the setting up of a warrior training school in the South Island and growing a warrior network with other warrior traditions here in New Zealand and throughout the world.
Ue-Kaha No Roto is also being taught openly to non-Maori which, is a first for this tradition of the south.
There are various other warrior methods now being shared across New Zealand. These efforts are ensuring a revival of many nearly lost and forgotten Maori warrior traditions.

The methods of development in Ue-Kaha No Roto begin with weapons training and progresses to empty handed methods and healing arts. It also encompasses food gathering and preparation as well as many other traditional skills for survival.



Two Tracks of Ue-Kaha No Roto

In the warrior school of Ue-Kaha No Roto a complete system of martial skills, art and science is taught. This system is complete with physical skills and drills, philosophy and theories and applied science. However, due to the complex nature of this we teach the system by way of a two-track process.

Track One
The first track of learning involves two levels and is directed at those prepared to become formidable warriors in the field of combat but without a need to become teachers or leaders. In other words, this track of learning is directed at the general warrior looking to participate in combat against a defined enemy in known conditions.
Included in this track are the levels of Pia and Taura . Each level has five grades of experience and each grade consists of skills training and drills. These are supported by forms training which present the core skills and principles of Ue-Kaha No Roto to the student-warriors. The training of these ten grades will develop the combat capability of very formidable warriors. It is generally expected that an akoako (learner) will spend a minimum of three years within these two levels.


Pia/Level 1

Papatahi
Learn all basic stances and footwork
All basic strikes with Maipi / Koikoi
Mua-uboko introduced
Must be competent in all of the above before moving on to Paparua

Paparua
First three applications from Mua-uboko
Two person striking drills
Introduce stick jumping drills
Side-advancing steps
Must be competent in all of the above before moving on to Papatoru


Papatoru
Side-advance vs poua-uboko
-add counterstrike
Manu a Tane introduced (all names must be known).
Begin to understand the different attitudes and expressions of the manu.
Must be competent in all of the above before moving on to Papawha

Papawha
Introduce two breathing exercises (Pouakai and Haumi )
Haka (Ki okioki e )
Extra striking drills
Extra body shifting drills.
Develop unity of body-motion.
Must be competent in all of the above before moving on to Paparima

Paparima
(Kai-awhina) For graduation to Paparima the Pia must know and show skill in all the training from Level 1
Assist all other Pia in their learning and development. Additional combat drills are added to Paparima/Kai-awhina training to prepare for Taura/Level 2.


Taura/Level2
Papaono
Tanerua is introduced.
Haka (Aue tatou )
Review Mua-uboko and Manu a Tane
Advanced applications from above sets

Papafitu
Patu Drills introduced.
Garara set with single patu introduced.
Entry and avoidance drills.
Must be competent in all of the above before moving on to Papawaru



Papawaru
Garara set with single patu reviewed
Entry and avoidance drills
Patu versus Patu drills
Must be competent in all of the above before moving on to Papaiwa

Papaiwa
Manu a Tane with single patu
Advanced drills patu vs patu
Disarms using patu
Review all Taura and Pia training before graduation to Kahuru

Kahuru
Introduce Akau Tai-toka set with Maipi/Koikoi
Taura-Kahuru will assist Tauira in over-seeing the development and training of all Pia and Taura


Track Two
The second track is designed for those chosen to lead and indeed pass the learning on to the next generation of warriors and leaders. This track begins with the learner being accepted as a Tauira and is taught as a separate school distinct from the previous track (although the first track curriculum is included in the total training of this track).
All of the principles of Ue-Kaha No Roto are taught and explained until they are thoroughly understood and repeatable. All strategies and combat science are studied and an understanding of all current combat theories is encouraged. Survival is the principle at the base of this level of training.
The various phases of this track are defined by their names and are earned as comprehension and skill develop appropriately.
There are five basic phases with additional titles within each as well as warrior names which are taken as the warrior progresses.

1. Tauira – entry phase (literally an example) at this level the student learns the basic skills of the warrior science of Ue-Kaha No Roto including the patu forms of the Ruruku and Manu a Tane and the Maipi forms Manu a Tane and Kara-fiu-ribo-ribo . Along with these forms many drills and stance exercises are practiced. An introduction to the scientific principles is also presented allowing the Tauira into the inner workings of the Ue-Kaha No Roto martial science.

2. Kai-faka-ako – teacher. At this level the student is encouraged to further understand the science of Ue-Kaha No Roto by way of passing their knowledge on to the new Tauira. Several new forms are presented including the patu form Garara and the Mua-upoko, Tane-rua, Tohuga and others. The huata is also introduced here and the Kai-faka-ako is encouraged to investigate other weapons as well as being introduced to the empty hand skills of this martial science.

Additional to these skills the Kai-faka-ako is introduced to the healing arts of rogo-rakau , mirimiri and honohono .

3. Pou-faka-ako – senior teacher. These senior teachers are responsible for the Wanaga of Ue-Kaha No Roto and oversee the training of all Tauira and continually work at raising the level of skill of the Kai-faka-ako.

4. Bugena - Master teacher. This level is reached only after many years of training. The Bugena is the head of their own Wanaga and will be constantly improving their knowledge and researching the sciences of combat, strategy, healing and all other life skills.


5. Ariki - Grandmaster. The Ariki of Ue-Kaha No Roto is selected by the current Ariki and is known as the Bou-aru (Pou-waru) until the current Ariki passes on to the Ao-wairua . Only after this will the new Ariki take this title.

One further title exists but is only given after the Ariki passes on this title is Matua-Ariki .



©Awatea Edwin April 3, 2009