Haka Vs Lion Dance

After reading 'Men of the School' by Mike Young the Avengers compared the Haka with the Chinese Lion Dance.

Compare and Contrast the Haka and Lion Dance

Dancing is very different in many cultures such as in the Maori, Indian and the Chinese culture. These cultures have many dances such as Kapa Haka, Garba and the Lion Dance. Two dances that share similarities and differences are the Maori poutini haka and the Chinese lion dance.

The lion dance and the poutini haka both involve costumes. In the haka the leader needs a cloak and the boys wear shorts. In the Chinese culture they have a dragon to wear when it is Chinese New Year. The Chinese costume has a head and legs that are connected to the body and arms. In my personal opinion the dragon dance is the most decorative because the costume has more detail and involves more actions.

Both dance involve sounds in their dances. In the Chinese culture they have drums that go slow at first but after a little while goes fast. In the Maori culture they involve chanting and stomping the feet.

Overall I think the most impressive dance is the Maori haka because there is more people involved in their dance and it has louder sounds than the Chinese dance.

By Samarah

Cultural dances have many similarities and differences. They all tell a story of their ancestors and their past. Let us find out the similarities and differences between the Chinese lion dance and the Maori Poutini haka.

The first similarity is that both dances tell a story. The Maori dance tells that there was a greenstone boulder that was split into adzes to carve canoes. The lion dance tells a story of awakening the lion so it could give the Chinese good luck.

The second similarity is both dances require practise. The Maori Poutini dance needs regular practise, usually a few weeks. The lion dance however needs approximately 3 months of practise. I think the most difficult dance is the lion dance because the people in the lion costume have to carry a lot of weight caused by the fabric.

The last similarity is both dances involve sounds. The Maori Poutini haka involves chanting. The lion dance involves loud beats and drums. I would prefer to chant more than dancing with the beat.

In the future I think both dances will become more famous and be recognised globally because more people will get to see them and learn about them. However there is a possibility of these dances becoming less famous because people might not learn those languages and won’t come to their concerts.

I believe my comparison is extended abstract because I have explained what I think will happen in the future.

By Nuha