Paki Paki: a Māori song for Children
Who here loves the Disney® movie "Moana"?
We do too, and that's why we are so excited to share "Paki Paki" from The Panda Collection with you! “Paki Paki” is a popular children’s song from the Māori people of Tolago Bay, North Island, New Zealand. You and your children might best be familiar with the Māori (pronounced "maw-ree") tribe because the narrative in the movie Moana is based on Polynesian tribes like the Māori. Check out this adorable example of "Paki Paki!"
What does it mean?
You may be wondering what the words in the song mean. In The Music Class version of "Paki Paki" from The Panda Collection, we kept some of the te reo (Māori language) words and added some English verses to demonstrate how you can make up your own verses to sing and dance to!
- "Paki" means “to clap”
- "Tamariki ma" means “children”
- "E Haka" (pronounced like “air haka”) is a reference to the haka, a ceremonial dance performed by both men and women for a variety of social functions within the Māori culture, including sporting events, weddings, birthdays, funerals, and other rites of passage. It's an important cultural touchstone for the Māori culture that they share with others and invite others to participate in, as long as it's done respectfully.
Want to learn more?
Check out this educational video about the importance of the haka dance in Māori culture:
And this 4-year-old performing with his uncles:
And an adorable toddler haka:
Aren't these amazing?! We hope you enjoy them as much as we do! Now go sing and dance and try your own moves to "Paki Paki!"
