Molasses man’s haka gains global attention
A spur of the moment decision to perform a haka at an anti-oil protest last month has launched a Taranaki man into internet fame.
Video of Gareth Kahui performing a haka while covered in molasses as part of the protests against the New Zealand Petroleum Conference in New Plymouth became the defining image of the event.
Last month the video appeared on AJ+, an online news channel run by Al Jazeera, and has now been viewed more than 2.3 million times.
Since the video became a hit Kahui said he had been recognised a few times. ‘‘I’ve asked a few people if they want my autograph,’’ he said.
Kahui said his decision to perform the haka came after he sensed the day was drawing to a close and noticed the energy at the protest come to a sudden pause.
‘‘There was chanting, everyone was banging, there was a lot of big energy.
‘‘I asked myself ‘how can I contribute?’,’’ he said.
‘‘I looked at our kuia, they’re doing a haka just sitting on the cold concrete. People are doing the haka by feeding others food and keeping them nourished through- out the day, people are holding flags - those are haka in themselves.’’
The 34-year-old, who took part in the historic 2004 foreshore and seabed hikoi to Parliament in Wellington, said he wanted the protest to have a theatrical element to bring about more interest.
He said using the molasses was part of that and so, representing oil, it was poured over himself and other protesters.
Kahui said the internet attention had brought a different meaning of success to the protest.
While the two-day march caused delays to the conference, his haka had reached a massive audience leading to a growth in awareness of both the Maori culture and climate justice, he said. ‘‘That’s success.’’ Kahui, whose whakapapa links include Ngaruahine, Te Atiawa and Taranaki Tuturu, said the haka he performed, Mangumangu Taipo, was a Taranaki anthem, that in parts represented unification.
Kahui’s friend, Emile Page, who also took part in the protest, said the molasses signified today’s environmental realities, such as the damage caused by oil spills. ‘‘It’s powerful to actually see someone dripping in this oil-like substance,’’ Page said.
‘‘That’s why it’s so popular (the video), people are going ‘wow’.’’