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Posted by bharath on Saturday, February 11, 2006
Hakka Dance, Culture
I remember watching this guitarist video a long time back. So, I went back to it today and found this other video in his collection with a tag named Hakka. I, then, went off to find out what this Hakka was all about. Hakka is not the dance but a group of people that long time ago lived in North China, who over the ages moved south and many of them migrated to Taiwan (wiki link). The dance itself can be called Hakka dance, and the dance in the video is a war dance. What is interesting is that the following article and the video shows Newzealand Rugby team doing the war dance. Hakka has many dance forms other than the war dance. The following is a pictures from a Chinese Dragon dance celebration. Some of the Hakkas have also returned back to China since repression times, and the dragon dance celebration is mixture of both Chinese and Hakka dance forms.
Hakka seem to be an interesting group of people, though not a large group, who have played very important role in South-Asian politics, having their own unique cultural additions to folk music, architechture and literature.
The following website carries a nice introductory article about the place of Hakka women in the Taiwanese society. Hakka women have reputation, as the tough and dextrous among Hakkas, who are a patriarchical society in their makeup. The women not only were in charge of all the chores at home, but also worked by the men in the fields. They also boast of high literary achievements. Vivian Chang, writes
Caveat: I could not find any reference or direct link to the book by Vivian Chang mentioned in the article. ¶ 4:26 PM
Hakka seem to be an interesting group of people, though not a large group, who have played very important role in South-Asian politics, having their own unique cultural additions to folk music, architechture and literature.
The following website carries a nice introductory article about the place of Hakka women in the Taiwanese society. Hakka women have reputation, as the tough and dextrous among Hakkas, who are a patriarchical society in their makeup. The women not only were in charge of all the chores at home, but also worked by the men in the fields. They also boast of high literary achievements. Vivian Chang, writes
Most of the names for the cookery, such as knives and pans, acquire a female gender, while the tableware such as bowls acquire a male gender. In body parts, those that can be seen such as nose and ears are male and others that are hidden such as tongues or palms are female. As these examples show, Hakka women play crucial roles in the family yet are positioned as the helping hand that stays behind the scene.
Caveat: I could not find any reference or direct link to the book by Vivian Chang mentioned in the article. ¶ 4:26 PM
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very interesting bloo!!
the guitarist was amazing huh?
But the Hakka dancing....I was instantly reminded of the Maoris of NZ and Polynesia and so before reading the rest of your blog, I video googled the Maori dance and came up with the rugby team dance. Really amazing huh!
there are bits that I recollect from discovery channel programs from a long time back - apparently the dance is a war dance and the sticking out of the tongue is a way of intimidating the enemy , the violent slapping of the body is a display of tenacity and courage, also meant to intimidate. I always thought it was beautifully barbaric!! It so quickly infuses the audience with enthusiasm and energy...
Thanks for sharing that Bloo... :-) Now I should try a little Maori dancing and maybe I can get in the (w)rite mood.. ;-) but ofcourse the girls do a sweeter version, the hula... :-)
the guitarist was amazing huh?
But the Hakka dancing....I was instantly reminded of the Maoris of NZ and Polynesia and so before reading the rest of your blog, I video googled the Maori dance and came up with the rugby team dance. Really amazing huh!
there are bits that I recollect from discovery channel programs from a long time back - apparently the dance is a war dance and the sticking out of the tongue is a way of intimidating the enemy , the violent slapping of the body is a display of tenacity and courage, also meant to intimidate. I always thought it was beautifully barbaric!! It so quickly infuses the audience with enthusiasm and energy...
Thanks for sharing that Bloo... :-) Now I should try a little Maori dancing and maybe I can get in the (w)rite mood.. ;-) but ofcourse the girls do a sweeter version, the hula... :-)
Nice blog on culture, at da brink of goin' into oblivion.
It sounded like one tamizh word *akkamakka* ... literal translation is sister's children(akka makkal) .... dont know y ppl use it for exclamatory purposes!!! :-?
It sounded like one tamizh word *akkamakka* ... literal translation is sister's children(akka makkal) .... dont know y ppl use it for exclamatory purposes!!! :-?
Oh Chay! thanks for the hula pointer. will check it out. yeah, interesting dance. interestingly this was more a folk dance than a classical dance. also there is kick to it :P
Thanks inter. I didn't know there was a meaning behind akkamakka. you seem to be on a commenting spree. how come?
pliss to check http://www.weeklyedition.blogspot.com for my new post. your comment is appreciated. :-)
Thanks inter. I didn't know there was a meaning behind akkamakka. you seem to be on a commenting spree. how come?
pliss to check http://www.weeklyedition.blogspot.com for my new post. your comment is appreciated. :-)
I wonder whether they have anything to do with "Hakka Noodles"!Interesting History!What wud be a worthy follow-up wud be the different dances by diff. sports teams!(since i just watched Remeber the Titans)
thanks rama! didn't know about Hakka Noodles. i know more from the comments than the blog now :) yeah, that would make a nice blog. I am no expert on sports though! :(
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