208 Bird-Song: and New Zealand Song Birds 
This rhythm is somewhat similar to the recorded song (2) 
above, and the introductory stanza is in a similar rhythm, with 
the dropped opening accented beat. The lyric at once seized on 
the popular imagination, and it was soon converted into a 
haka, or posture-song and dance, with the following intro 
auction:— 
E pakia kia rite, 
O slap-slap in unison, 
On the word pakia, the thighs are slapped with both open 
hands, and again on the word kia ; 
> # > 
E pa-ki-a kia rite, 
so keeping time whilst the leader gives out the next line: 
E ko te rite, kia rite, 
O evenly, evenly, 
where the thigh-slaps are on the words ko and kia 
^ > 
E ko te rite, kia rite, 
and are continued rhythmically through the next line: 
E takahia kia ngawari, 
O stamp the feet regularly, 
Following the thigh-slap on the word ngawari, the right feet are 
extended and brought down with a stamp in unison with the 
corresponding thigh-slap. The stamp and slap together then 
continue through the next line : 
E torona kei waho hoki mai, 
O stretch well forth and draw back again, 
Here, following the stamp and the thigh-slap on the word hoki, 
a 1 arms are stretched well forward, and brought back until the 
fingers of the inturned hands just tip the shoulders exactly in 
time with the foot-beats. 
These actions are continued through the delivery of the 
opening verse: 
ongo ai au, 
E whakar 
