WHAKAPAPA FRIDAYS - So lets do things a little differently. Today Im taking a bit of a different approach to the regular posts. Ive always been interested in kaupapa #Māori approaches to almost everything. Remodelling the mainstream worldview to construct a unique Māori perspective allows me to make sense of the world as Māori. So as a rugby league player Ive often considered how I might compound my mainstream knowledge of sports performance with a Māori worldview to improve my performance. This has unraveled many different thoughts and ideas that are probably worth sharing. Traditional Māori methods for developing #athletic performance are fundamentally different to current popular mainstream methods. The fundamental difference I see is that scientific methods often develop components of #fitness (#strength, #power, #agility, #flexibility, #balance, #coordination, #cardio-vascular #endurance, etc.) in isolation. However, the development of #toa (#warriors) within the para whakawai (School of Arms) was more holistic in nature and developed performance across all components. The fear being that the mastery of only a few skills will surely lead to some calamity. It is the sum of all skills that ensures a toa is ready for any aspect at any moment (something the #Crossfit mantra strives for). Unfortunately, I havent been lucky enough to train extensively in our para whakawai, but I am not alien to it all the same. Like all aspects of Māori life, the fabric of our culture is interwoven with myths and legend relating to our #atua and our environment. Developing the skills necessary to perform on the battlefield must also reflect the nature of this cultural worldview. Each atua has his (or her) own qualities that enabled a toa to develop the necessary skills to be successful. Mastering these qualities and characteristics of atua enabled toa to maximise their fortune in battle. Of course today, this type of conflict is no longer permissible, however the application of such in a sporting context still remains. Over the next few weeks we will look at a particular atua in detail. The idea is to develop a Māori specific context to athletic performance and development. So if you have any genuine interest in a particular area or sport, please comment below and Ill tailor the posts to your particular code. Otherwise Im sure you will all grow tired of rugby league references. #WhakapapaFridays #Maori #NZ #AthleticPerformance #WhatIsYourCode #MaoriTrainingTechniques #ToaMaori
Posted on: Thu, 06 Nov 2014 17:53:09 +0000
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