Pre European contact, and with the absence of range weapons (no bow and arrow, only slings), not even throwing spears, the Maori fought exclusively hand to hand combat using predominantly ornately carved slashing and bludgeoning weapons made of greenstone, hardwood, volcanic rock, or whalebone. No shields. No armour. Up close and personal warfare. Brutal as fk. Something about wanting to look into the eyes of the opponent who's life they're about to take. This was carried into WW2 against the Nazi's where they were referred to by the Krauts as the "Scalphunters" for their propensity to fix bayonets and trench raid. Often brandishing tratitional weapons as well. See Maori Battalion. The weapon fighting style is called mau rakau, which was a traditional maori martial art with some similarities to kempo but way more athletic. Much like the Spartans, boys were trained from childhood in the art of fighting and warfare. The Maori are on all top 10 greatest warrior cultures lists for a reason. The haka was no idle threat. The Maori fought a brutal 30 year war with the British in the mid 1800s.The colonialists had much admiration for the military nous of the Maori. The Maori adapted to firearms warfare like a duck to water. The introduction of gunpowder, sparked old intertribal conflicts, igniting into the Musket Wars between warring tribes that killed 40 thousand Maori. When the New Zealand Wars against the British Empire broke out, the Maori were already battle hardened and battle tested. Masters at ambush, guerilla, seige, psychological, and close quarters warfare , they proved formidable opponents. Always heavily outnumbered and outgunned, the Maori used knowledge of the terrain, ingenuity, and trench warfare to neutralise the firepower discrepancies. This was 50 years before the famous trenches of WWI. Sophisticated multi levelled zig zag trenches with hidden firing pits, tunnels, and bomb proof bunkers. They had flax covering their firing pits that the musket balls would just bounce off. With shotguns traded for from american sealers, and traditional bludgeoning and slashing weapons in their arsenal. Once the Maori could fool their enemy into close quarters combat... It was over.
the ending is what we call in our culture a tohunga (witch doctor/priest) he is cursing the invading warriors to kill them for attacking his village & tribe.
I love this video, like hearing your view point also 👍
I love this song, reminds me of Silverchair (they were teenagers in their prime too), but this is a bit heavier
oh man, I had complelty forgotten about Silverchair, used to listen a lot to them as well when I was young.... flashbacks!
Pre European contact, and with the absence of range weapons (no bow and arrow, only slings), not even throwing spears, the Maori fought exclusively hand to hand combat using predominantly ornately carved slashing and bludgeoning weapons made of greenstone, hardwood, volcanic rock, or whalebone. No shields. No armour. Up close and personal warfare. Brutal as fk.
Something about wanting to look into the eyes of the opponent who's life they're about to take. This was carried into WW2 against the Nazi's where they were referred to by the Krauts as the "Scalphunters" for their propensity to fix bayonets and trench raid. Often brandishing tratitional weapons as well. See Maori Battalion.
The weapon fighting style is called mau rakau, which was a traditional maori martial art with some similarities to kempo but way more athletic. Much like the Spartans, boys were trained from childhood in the art of fighting and warfare.
The Maori are on all top 10 greatest warrior cultures lists for a reason. The haka was no idle threat.
The Maori fought a brutal 30 year war with the British in the mid 1800s.The colonialists had much admiration for the military nous of the Maori. The Maori adapted to firearms warfare like a duck to water.
The introduction of gunpowder, sparked old intertribal conflicts, igniting into the Musket Wars between warring tribes that killed 40 thousand Maori. When the New Zealand Wars against the British Empire broke out, the Maori were already battle hardened and battle tested.
Masters at ambush, guerilla, seige, psychological, and close quarters warfare , they proved formidable opponents. Always heavily outnumbered and outgunned, the Maori used knowledge of the terrain, ingenuity, and trench warfare to neutralise the firepower discrepancies. This was 50 years before the famous trenches of WWI.
Sophisticated multi levelled zig zag trenches with hidden firing pits, tunnels, and bomb proof bunkers. They had flax covering their firing pits that the musket balls would just bounce off. With shotguns traded for from american sealers, and traditional bludgeoning and slashing weapons in their arsenal. Once the Maori could fool their enemy into close quarters combat...
It was over.
ua-cam.com/video/s6QhW5S8Gk4/v-deo.htmlsi=ELLilHu_G5W-pMam
the ending is what we call in our culture a tohunga (witch doctor/priest) he is cursing the invading warriors to kill them for attacking his village & tribe.
They are the indigenous people and they are part of that culture.