Matador Network's Blog, page 681
March 25, 2021
Southwest sale for US and Mexico
Southwest Airlines just announced a new sale with fares as low as $49 one-way just in time for spring. As flying slowly resumes, encouraged by vaccination efforts, the airline is slashing prices to offer passengers the vacation they’ve been dreaming of all winter.
The routes offered in the sale cover domestic US flights as well as select routes in Mexico. You can snag a $49 ticket for flights such as Chicago to Nashville or Phoenix to Long Beach. International trips have also been discounted; a flight from Dallas to Cozumel, Mexico, for example, will set you back around $169 one way. All purchased tickets come without cancel or change fees to give passengers extra flexibility.
Additionally, Southwest is cutting the rates for reward redemption for the duration of the sale. Members of the Southwest Rapid Rewards Program can save an additional 20 percent by using the promo code “SAVENOW” when selecting award flights. The Rapid Rewards Program allows travelers to earn points with every flight, which can then be redeemed for flight credit and seat upgrades.
The offer will last until March 29, so hurry up. The special offer prices apply to flights between April 14 and June 30, with some dates unavailable around Memorial Day. The additional rapid rewards discount applies to travel between now and April 30. 
The post Southwest slashes fares for spring sale, starting at $49 appeared first on Matador Network.
Both species of African elephants officially added to endangered list
A “red list” assessment of the two species of African elephant — the forest and savanna elephant — found that both are in danger of extinction due to poaching and human-caused habitat loss. Forest elephant numbers have declined by 86 percent in the past 31 years while savanna elephants have fallen by about 60 percent over the past 50.
The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), which puts together the “red list” of endangered plants and animals, recently classified the African elephant as two separate species thanks to genetic evidence of their differences. Unfortunately, it’s not looking good for either of them. The forest elephant is classified as “critically endangered,” while the savanna elephant is “endangered.” Previously, the African elephant was simply considered “vulnerable.”
“Africa’s elephants play key roles in ecosystems, economies and in our collective imagination all over the world. Today’s new IUCN Red List assessments of both African elephant species underline the persistent pressures faced by these iconic animals,” said Dr Bruno Oberle, IUCN director general. “We must urgently put an end to poaching and ensure that sufficient suitable habitat for both forest and savanna elephants is conserved. Several African countries have led the way in recent years, proving that we can reverse elephant declines, and we must work together to ensure their example can be followed.”
According to a 2016 IUCN survey — the most up-to-date available — only around 415,000 forest and savanna elephants remain in Africa.
The post Both species of African elephants officially added to endangered list appeared first on Matador Network.
New research suggests rapid COVID-19 tests work as well as quarantine
According to new research, on-arrival antigen tests are just as effective in reducing the spread of COVID-19 as a 10-day quarantine.
The findings of the study were published by consulting firm Oxera and Edge Health on March 25. The data has been submitted to the UK’s government-run Global Travel Taskforce for review and will be used as a resource to determine how and when travel can safely resume, not just to the UK but on a global scale.
The UK’s travel industry has struggled to survive through multiple lockdowns and restrictions. Last year, the government imposed a mandatory 10-day quarantine upon arrival for anyone entering from abroad which led to revenue losses for both the travel and hospitality industries. Currently, in the UK, it is illegal to travel abroad without a reasonable excuse.
The new data presented this week is welcomed as the government searches for a practical strategy for the safe reopening of UK borders. The Global Travel Taskforce will deliver its findings and proposals on April 12. The Telegraph reported that the chief executive of Virgin Atlantic, Shai Weiss, has urged the UK government to push for “seamless travel” when it starts up again.
“We believe that international travel can safely restart at scale, using a risk-based, phased easing of testing requirements and border restrictions, that follows the scientific evidence,” Weiss told Reuters.
The research recommends a two-test strategy (before departure and after arrival) for travelers from higher-risk countries to be able to resume travel and skip quarantine.
The post New research suggests rapid COVID-19 tests work as well as quarantine appeared first on Matador Network.
8 outdoor adventures in Iowa
If you’ve only seen Iowa from the highway, an airplane window, or heard stories based on the farms and fields, you might approach this list with skepticism. You certainly won’t be expecting to read about limestone and dolomite ridges, red rocks and sea caves, world-class cycling trails, dense forests, and hilly, glacial terrain.
But, naturally, you are. This is just the start of a long inventory of uncrowded, uncommon outdoor adventures in the state, but it’ll give you a taste of what Iowa is hiding off the beaten path.
1. Hiking the bony spine of a devil
Photo: Travel Iowa
A narrow dolomite ridge carved out by the Maquoketa River has claimed the moniker Devil’s Backbone, the highlight of Backbone State Park, Iowa’s first. Twenty-one miles of trails — including along the ridge itself — make this spot a hiker’s church, paths meandering between stands of white pine, black oak, and ironwood, up forested slopes and craggy bluffs, and right along the water.
But there’s one other way Backbone State Park shines: its cabins. A CCC-era park, it holds a smattering of one- and two-bedroom cabins inside its borders, rustic yet with all the amenities. They’re often fully booked up, so make your reservations early.
2. Kayaking to sea caves and red rocks
Photo: Megan McDowell Photography
Though Lake Okoboji may be the best known, Lake Red Rock is actually Iowa’s biggest — and it’s an easy day trip from Des Moines. What’s more, it comes by its name honestly: Sea caves and red rocks highlight the 37-mile Lake Red Rock Water Trail, as do plentiful birds, including bald eagles, herons, egrets, pelicans, and gulls. Put-ins can be found every eight miles or so, so all you need to do is pick a section and make an afternoon of it.
For those who prefer to gaze onto the water rather than get on it, there’s a 13-mile hiking and biking trail around the lake as well. Check out the Whitebreast Recreation Area, in particular — set on a peninsula, it has great trails and a picnic spot right where the tip of the land meets the lake.
3. Backpacking across ancient limestone bluffs
Photo: Travel Iowa
If you want to train for a hiking or backpacking trip in Iowa, you come to Yellow River State Forest. There are 45 miles of “marked” — emphasis on the quotation marks — and maintained trails, that will give both your map skills and your leg muscles a decent run for their money. The Paint Creek Unit is generally the hiker/backpacker favorite, with a designated backpacking trail (with campsites) for those looking for a serious Driftless getaway.
Then there’s the mountain biking — keep in mind, this area was one of the few around not to be carved away by glaciers during the last Ice Age, leaving high ridges and limestone bluffs excellent for soaring up and zooming down. About 20 miles of trails are suitable for bicycles, and they’ll lead you to super scenic overlooks, through mature groves of timber, and to bubbling trout streams for that contemplative water break.
4. Driving and hiking over glacial dust
Photo: Travel Iowa
Iowa’s Loess Hills (pronounced “luss”) are a product of some of the world’s most unique geology. Loess on this scale — that is, glacial dust, the consistency of flour, rising and falling for miles upon miles — is only found here and in China. When glaciers ripped their way through Iowa some 10,000 years ago, this is one of the most-pronounced legacies they left behind.
Today, a drive down the Loess Hills National Scenic Byway is a beauty, but as Werner Herzog put it, “The world reveals itself to those who travel on foot.” There are more than 60 miles of trails in the Loess Hills State Forest, and the eight-mile Brent’s Trail is a classic spring through fall. Feel free to expect downright majestic views.
5. Riding those famous Midwest winds
Photo: Ron Miles, Jr.
Central Iowa might be the closest thing to what most imagine the state looks like. That is, flat. In this region, the winds blow and they are strong, gaining speed on the open plains. Clear Lake — nearly 4,000 acres and anchoring the town of the same name — is a not-so-surprising spot for kiteboarding. There are plenty of launch sites, and you’ll likely tap out before the wind does.
Another kind of kiting is popular here, too: the flying kind. Clear Lake’s Color the Wind Kite Festival takes place every February — winds are even wilder and more whipping in winter — when hundreds of absolutely wondrous kites take to the skies, including a 60-foot blue whale. Bring hot cocoa or your own kite to get in on the action.
6. Pedaling with the pros — across the entire state
Photo: Travel Iowa
Iowa loves its biking. Loves it. What else are you going to do with all that rolling, open land? Trails crisscross the state, from town to town, like a two-wheeled Pony Express. Just pack a picnic, plenty of water, and see where you wind up… Or, join thousands of others and non-competitively race to the finish line. RAGBRAI, the largest bike-touring event in the world, runs every summer, crossing the state from west to east. Each year the route is different, typically clocking in around 465 miles — most cyclists average 67 miles a day. It’s easily the wildest way to see the state in seven days.
If you need some suggestions on where to start — RAGBRAI aside — Ankeny’s High Trestle Trail, the Great American Rail Trail from Waterloo to Solon, and Council Bluff’s Wabash Trace Nature Trail are all solid options.
7. Going off-grid at former Spanish lead mines
Photo: Travel Iowa
Iowa’s northeast corner — around Decorah and Dubuque — is brimming with hard-to-believe attractions, the foremost of which may just be the Mines of Spain. The name isn’t false advertising, either: Julien Dubuque was given a land grant from Spain to work this area for its lead. Today, the Julien Dubuque Monument stands like a castle ruin above the Mississippi, and it’s just one site from which to take in the amazing views. Twenty-seven miles of trails snake through the park, between quarry walls that feel like canyons, along Catfish Creek, through tallgrass prairie, and down to the river.
Of course, the park’s history goes much further back than Iowa’s first European settler. Some 8,000 years ago, prehistoric Indigenous cultures lived, traded, and explored right here. With a keen eye, you can still see their mound sites and rock shelters today.
8. Getting eagle-eye views over the Mississippi
Photo: Travel Iowa
It’s not Iowa’s highest spot — that’d be Sibley’s Hawkeye Point — but it feels like it and it’s named like it. At Pikes Peak State Park, you’ll stand atop a 500-foot-tall bluff, watching the Wisconsin River flow into the Mississippi. Endless wooden staircases climb up the ridges, little waterfalls pour down the bluffs, and 11 miles of trails wander old-growth hardwoods, never once felled by white settlers.
Nearby McGregor and Marquette are classic old river towns hanging onto their industrial, brick-laden heritage. They’re excellent places for a meal on the water, a glass of wine, or a steaming latte and a stroll down a 20th-century main drag. You can also check them out as you cruise the Great River Road National Scenic Byway, an opportunity to slow it down, ponder the power of nature…and decide what unexpected adventure you’ll get up to next in Iowa.
The post 8 outdoor adventures you had no idea were possible in Iowa appeared first on Matador Network.
March 24, 2021
Sycamore Brewing Airstream giveaway
Breweries are often on the cutting edge of the customer experience. Sycamore Brewing in Charlotte, North Carolina, is taking that experience to the next level by giving away an Airstream trailer in celebration of the brewery’s popular Mountain Candy IPA. The 16-foot Airstream comes with a fully stocked beer fridge, hammock, surfboard, string lights, and party games.
From now through September, participants over 21 years old can upload a video (under 30 seconds) featuring any of Sycamore Brewing’s beers on Instagram, TikTok, or YouTube, using the #CandyCamperContest hashtag. Four runner-up entries will receive prizes as well.
Sarah Taylor Brigham, Sycamore Brewing co-owner, said in a statement, “The giveaway instructions are simple — get wacky, get weird! You’re the star of the show, but a Sycamore beer must make an appearance in your video. We encourage all of our contestants to step out of their comfort zone to make fun and engaging short videos for the chance to win a customized Mountain Candy Airstream camper for a lifetime of adventure.”
Videos will be accepted through September, and Sycamore Brewing will announce the winner at its drive-in viewing event in Charlotte on October 16. In the meantime, you might see the Airstream driving around the US. To promote the contest, the brewery will be touring the Mountain Candy camper around the southeastern US from May to October.
The post A brewery is giving away a custom Airstream with a fully stocked beer fridge appeared first on Matador Network.
Pacific Coast beaches in Costa Rica
No matter where you head on Costa Rica’s Pacific Coast, there’s a beach that fits what you are looking for. You’ll find beaches with white sand and others with black lava-hued sand, tiny tree-lined coves and flat strands that stretch for miles, beaches with consistent waves that beckon the world’s best surfers and protected marine sanctuaries with water so calm you could snorkel all day. Whatever type of beach you seek, you’ll find it among these beaches in Costa Rica.
1. Playa Nacascolo, Papagayo Peninsula
Photo: Joshua ten Brink/Shutterstock
The posh Papagayo Peninsula lies at the northern end of Costa Rica’s Pacific coast, not far from the border with Nicaragua. This region is appealing for a number of reasons, one of which is its drier climate relative to farther south. Even during the wet season from May to September, the rains rarely lasts all day — meaning you have plenty of time to soak up the sun.
The Papagayo Peninsula has a reputation for its swanky resorts, but low-key accommodations are also available. And if people-watching poolside at the Four Seasons is not your thing, no problem. For one, you’ve got dozens of adventurous activities to choose from — from water sports to wildlife sanctuaries. And then there are the beaches, all of them public, as per Costa Rican law. But since most of the land on the peninsula is privately owned, beaches like Playa Manzanillo, Playa Blanca, and Playa Cabuyal are never crowded. Of the Papagayo beaches, though, our top choice is Playa Nacascolo, a serene, natural haven inside Culebra Bay that isn’t connected to any of the resorts.
2. Playa Conchal, Tamarindo[image error]Photo: TG23/Shutterstock
Tamarindo is a terrific place to surf, go horseback riding, even take an adventure tour on the river. But as one of the earliest beaches in Costa Rica to draw travelers, it let development get ahead of it and now you’ll spot US fast food chains on its main street. But it has everything you’d need and lots of accommodations, including one where howler monkeys literally walk on your veranda and iguanas stroll by the outdoor breakfast area — so it’s appealing and you might find yourself here.
If you do, take a boat across the river to Playa Grande, which is a lot less crowded than Tamarindo’s main beach. It’s a great place for an extremely long walk and is a turtle nesting ground, so treat it with care. But our top beach pick in this area is Playa Conchal, a 45-minute drive from Tamarindo over a coastal headland in a secluded bay. The name literally means beach of shells, since its sand is made of tiny crushed seashells. The Westin Resort is here now, but it’s still marvelously empty nearly all the time.
3. Playa Guiones, Nosara[image error]Photo: Colin D. Young/Shutterstock
You are still in Guanacaste Province here, the country’s northwesternmost province. While Nosara is actually the name of a town that is further inland, when travelers from North America talk about Nosara, they are referring to a charming beach town located on Guiones Beach, a three-mile long stretch that draws surfers from around the world. It’s even home to an impressive women’s surf community. The lengthy beach is perfect for an afternoon walk, say all the way perhaps to the next beach over, Playa Pelada.
Like many beaches in Costa Rica, development is prohibited at the shoreline itself and no building can be higher than the treeline here. The purpose is to protect nesting sea turtles, who use the moon for navigation and who would be disoriented without that lunar sightline. (If you really want to check out the turtles, go at the right time of year just due north of Guiones to Playa Ostional.) So if you’re out on your surfboard in the water, you look back and see nothing but green, with the coastal hill behind them. The great thing is that with the town known as Nosara hiding the greenery, you can end a beach day with a fresh fruit smoothie or a cocktail at one of several outdoor bars.
4. Playa Hermosa, Jaco
Photo: Joshua ten Brink/Shutterstock
Among the beaches in Costa Rica, we had to include at least one with black sand, seeing as the country is literally bisected by volcanoes, many of them still active. Playa Hermosa is a big draw on the Pacific coast because, as suggested by its name “beautiful beach” in Spanish, it is really quite lovely. It is also the most recent World Surf Reserve, a designation awarded to beaches for their efforts to preserve the natural and marine environment and protect its waves from ruinous coastal development. In fact, the volcanic rock sand at Playa Hermosa is actually more like a dark grey, but the color is distinctive. That said, if you’re in the Jaco area and really just want to dip your toes into pale sand, drive 30 minutes north of Jaco to Punta Leones and you’ll find Playa Blanca. It’s a beautiful tree-lined cove, and if you know your Spanish, then you know the sand is white.
5. Playa Manuel Antonio, Manuel Antonio National Park
Photo: Stefan Neumann/Shutterstock
Just as it’s hard to choose from among Costa Rica’s many indulgent beaches, it’s also chock-full of national parks. In fact, 25 percent of the country is protected land. Manuel Antonio certainly ranks as one of the top national parks in the country, not just for its 100 mammal species, including four types of monkeys, but also because of its coastal location. Within Manuel Antonio National Park are four beaches you can reach on its trails: the petite little Playitas; Playa Escondido; Espadilla Sur, located on one side of a mini-peninsula that ends at the mushroom-cap-shaped Cathedral Point; and the eponymous Manuel Antonio Beach on the other side of the said peninsula (the mushroom stem, if you will).
All of the beaches are a wonder, but we’ve gone with the park’s namesake beach here because it’s one of the best spots for spotting marine life while you are enjoying a leisurely afternoon in the sun. Playa Manuel Antonio is in a small protected bay, making for warm, calm water and excellent snorkeling.
6. Playa Uvita, Marino Ballena National Park
Photo: Simon Dannhauer/Shutterstock
No list of the best beaches in Costa Rica would be complete without at least one mention in this national park, which encompasses nine miles of coastline and 13,000 acres of ocean. You should absolutely bring your snorkeling gear to explore Central America’s largest coral reef. While Playa Arco has a waterfall, we’re giving this one to Playa Uvita. Its broad shore is perfect for a long walk while you catch humpback whales breaching offshore. Make sure you are here at sunset. Since the beach is so flat and the shallow water stretches over the sand, the sand lights up in the same blaze of colors as the sea itself and as the sky it’s reflecting.
7. Playa Llorona, Corcovado National Park[image error]Photo: Tanguy de Saint-Cyr/Shutterstock
The Osa Peninsula is widely considered one of the most biologically diverse places on Earth. It’s really one of the top places to explore in a country full of top places, and Drakes Bay has one of our favorite resorts in Costa Rica. Therein, Corcovado National Park is another location that unites two of the things that make this Central American country so special: its natural treasures and its coastal beauty.
After you’ve visited one of the world’s oldest forests within the national park, head down to the beach. While you could do no wrong hanging out at Playa Sirena or the park’s namesake Playa Corcovado, take a trek over to Playa Llorona, preferably at low tide, since it’s a tiny beach. Playa Llorona means “crying beach” or “crybaby beach.” It’s so named for the lovely waterfall that cascades down to its soft sand.
The post The absolute best beaches on Costa Rica’s Pacific Coast appeared first on Matador Network.
This website shows every city in the US that will pay you to move there
Relocating to a new city is a lot less stressful when that city is paying you to move there. MakeMyMove.com is a useful directory that lists every city across the US that’s paying people to relocate there.
The directory helps connect people with cities and towns offering a wide range of moving incentives, including tax breaks, cash, mortgage forgiveness, tuition reimbursement, and more. Usually, these cities are motivated by boosting the local economy or increasing the size of their local population.
Currently, MakeMyMove.com is listing 37 relocation offers all over the country, including Montpellier, VT; Tulsa, OK; Topeka, KS, and Natchez; MS.
Montpelier, for example, is offering remote workers “up to $5,000 per year for up to two years. Applicants who move and become a full-time employee of a Vermont business are eligible for up to $7,500. Remote workers receive $10,000 to relocate.”
Similarly, Baltimore is incentivizing people with “$5,000 for a downpayment on a new home. Homebuyers will be awarded the funds in the form of a 5-year forgivable loan.”
There’s also a “Design Your Own” move feature on the website, where users can list their ideal location and package offer, and the company will talk with local economic development programs to see if they can make it a reality.
Evan Hock, founder of MakeMyMove.com, told CNBC, “If we get a half dozen folks saying, ‘I’m looking for a lake community in the Southeast,’ we can go out, find it and negotiate an offer for them. It’s a way for us to collect data and see opportunities to find a specific landing spot for each remote worker.”
The post This website shows every city in the US that will pay you to move there appeared first on Matador Network.
[image error]Stay in Dominica for 18 months with the island’s new remote work visa
Working from home has become the new normal during the COVID-19 pandemic, and dreamy tropical destinations are taking advantage of workers’ new-found geographical freedom by launching remote work visas. The Caribbean island of Dominica, known for its lush rainforests, waterfalls, and hot springs, is one of those destinations and launched a Work in Nature visa.
The visa allows remote workers to relocate to the island and work there for up to 18 months. The program is part of the island’s attempt to restore its tourism industry and kickstart its economy after a tough year.
According to Denise Charles, the island’s minister of tourism, “This is one of the initiatives which will help boost our tourism industry in our phased tourism recovery approach, while providing a safe environment for persons to work remotely in a tropical environment.”
To apply for the new visa, you must be at least 18 years old and expect to earn an income of at least $50,000 over the next 12 months. Both families and individuals are encouraged to apply, as Dominica also offers a family bundle program that allows visiting children to attend school on the island. The visa itself costs $800 for single applicants and $1,200 for families, and applicants must pay a non-refundable application fee of $100. For more information, visit Dominica’s Work in Nature website.
The post Stay in Dominica for 18 months with the island’s new remote work visa appeared first on Matador Network.
Amtrak Northeast sale
Amtrak just launched a sale to encourage people to start riding the rails again this spring and summer. Book by Friday, March 26, and you’ll be able to find coach fares on Amtrak’s Northeast routes as low as $19, and Acela business class seats for as low as $39. The sale is valid for travel between March 30 and September 30, 2021, and can be booked either online or on the Amtrak app.
“Whether it’s a trip with friends or a family reunion, there’s plenty of occasions to reconnect with the people you’ve been missing over this spring and summer,” the Amtrak website says. “Enjoy a relaxing ride on Northeast Regional, from Boston to Newport News and everywhere in between, for a flat rate of just $19 one-way. Or cruise through the Northeast in style with Acela business class fares for just a flat rate of $39 one-way. Travel further north, and even along the Maine coast with select city pairs on the Downeaster for $19.”
Deals are available on trains all throughout the Northeast on the Northeast Regional, Acela, and Downeaster routes, which include stations in Boston, New Haven, New York, Philadelphia, Washington, Freeport, Portland, and more.
If you want to see Washington DC’s majestic cherry blossoms in all their glory this year, the Northeast Regional and Acela Amtrak routes will take you straight to Union Station. Peak bloom for the blossoms is predicted to be between April 2 and April 5.
The post Amtrak’s latest sale is the best way to see DC’s cherry blossoms on the cheap appeared first on Matador Network.
How one Māori woman is debunking the myth that performing haka is a display of masculinity
Before every match, New Zealand’s national men’s rugby team, the All Blacks, perform a ritual: They assemble on the pitch facing their opponents, the players assume a squat-like stance, and together they do a haka, or traditional Māori dance.
It’s a scene spectators around the world have witnessed, rugby fans or not. Recordings of the All Blacks performing the “Ka Mate” or “Kapa o Pango” haka have racked up millions of views on YouTube and social media. In recent years, videos of schoolboys, wedding guests, and even actor Jason Momoa performing a haka with members of Auckland’s Ultimate Fighting Championship team at the premiere of his Aquaman film have also gone viral. Yet despite the growing global awareness of the Māori custom, many people who are less familiar with New Zealand’s indigenous culture, or national sport, may be surprised to learn that the Black Ferns, the women’s rugby union team, also performs a pre-game haka, or that Māori women traditionally participated in the practice at all.
[image error]Photo: Learn Māori Abroad
That haka are reserved for men is a common misconception, says Learn Māori Abroad founder Amelia Butler. Raised in Auckland and a longtime resident of Los Angeles County, Butler initially founded the company to share the Māori language and culture with people outside of New Zealand before incorporating haka workshops into her programming. She now teaches workshops to communities across the United States, from the world arts and culture department at UCLA to corporate employees as a team-building exercise.
On more than one occasion, Butler has been approached after a demonstration by an attendee who had never seen a woman perform a haka. Though thousands of haka exist in Māori culture, some of which were written expressly for women, including the “Ko Uhia Mai” haka that was composed for the Black Ferns by Māori elder and rugby legend Te Whetū Tipiwai, the practice is often identified with warriors as a pre-battle ritual, a display of masculinity that the All Blacks ritual seems to perpetuate. Ironically, though, Butler notes, the “Ka Mate” haka that the team popularized is “actually about the power of a woman.”
Photo: Learn Māori Abroad
The most widely recognized haka, “Ka Mate” was written by Ngāti Toa chief Te Rauparaha around 1820. According to the Ngāti Toa tribe, one of two tribes primarily credited with originating the haka practice, “Ka Mate” chronicles the tale of Te Rauparaha seeking support from the Tūwharetoa tribe during a period of conflict with another tribe. Fellow chief Te Heuheu agreed to help, sending Te Rauparaha to a relative who had the Ngāti Toa chief climb into a pit that his wife would then sit atop as the other tribe attacked. As the lyrics tell, it was her womanly energy that ultimately weakened the opposing forces and “caused [the sun] to shine again.”
Haka do differ between men and women. Rather than assume a wide, low stance with bent knees, women perform haka in a more upright, neutral position with their feet roughly shoulder-width apart. Facial expressions, or pūkana, also differ: While big, bulging eyes are customary for performers of both sexes, men also stick out their tongues while women traditionally purse their lips and turn down the sides of their mouths in a sort of frown.
In part, Butler attributes these variations to New Zealand’s colonial history. “When the British came they brought with them a lot of their own systems, including the patriarchy,” she says, imagining that prior to Western influence Māori women were “getting down and dirty just like men.” Yet growing up in Auckland, Butler remembers instances when she and her female peers were expected to dance poi, another Māori dance, on the occasions their male counterparts would dance haka. “So even as a woman teaching the haka, I had to confront my own internalized patriarchy growing up in a Western context,” she says.
Photo: Learn Māori Abroad
The decision to teach haka as a woman has raised a few eyebrows from women back home. But as one of few Māori people sharing indigenous practices in the United States, and to her knowledge the only woman in the country currently teaching haka, Butler believes that spreading Māori culture can help empower others, not just women but Americans at large.
Māori culture places a strong emphasis on identity through ancestry, a concept that’s muddled for many Americans. “It’s very important for us to know who we are and where we come from,” says Butler, explaining that Māori are raised not only to know which tribe they’re from but also which is their mountain, river, or even the canoe that their ancestors arrived on. She’s seen firsthand how impactful this indigenous model of thinking can be to Westerners who leave her workshops inspired to learn more about their own ancestry.
Haka, specifically, can also be a powerful tool. Butler describes it as a “way of tapping into your authentic self” and working through things that are “causing some level of pain.”
Photo: Learn Māori Abroad
Demonstrations like the haka performed outside the United States consulate in Auckland last summer during a Black Lives Matter rally and the one performed by students in Christchurch following the mosque shootings in 2019 testify to the healing power of the practice. Both were performed by mixed-gender groups. Elsewhere in 2019, Māori artist and activist Mihirangi led an all-female haka workshop in Montreal to unify women amid the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG) crisis that plagues Canada and the United States.
A sacred, spiritual, and emotional exercise, the haka is not inherently more powerful for Māori men, women, or even children. But clarifying the misconception that women are excluded from the practice and encouraging haka as a means of self-expression can be especially empowering for women. This is particularly true for women who have been conditioned by patriarchal norms. Butler, who counts herself among this group, has witnessed this many times in corporate settings where the majority of the employees are male.
Photo: Learn Māori Abroad/Facebook
Regardless of whom Butler is teaching haka, poi, or the Māori language, she views her ability to share these indigenous practices as a gift she’s able to give others, albeit one she gives carefully. In an era that’s sensitive to cultural appropriation, Butler takes seriously her responsibility to both dispense and protect her heritage. Haka are sacred dances, after all, and should only be taught and in many cases performed by Māori, whose ancestors worked hard to preserve the tradition for later generations to inherit. But whether those Māori teachers are male or female makes little difference to the integrity of the practice, it turns out, a fact that Butler is proudly proving at every workshop she leads.
The post How one Māori woman is debunking the myth that performing haka is a display of masculinity appeared first on Matador Network.
[image error]Matador Network's Blog
- Matador Network's profile
- 6 followers
