Introvert Wants a Haka

Bucket lists can achieve grand proportions for introverts who live rich inner lives. Before completing Soul Search, I used to think that the pinnacle of success would be an invitation to appear at a Comicon. After some time to think  about this, I have now come to the conclusion that Soul Search needs to hit it big in New Zealand. I desperately want a haka performed in my honor.

The haka is a traditional ancestral ritual from the Maori of New Zealand. War haka (peruperu) were performed for the purposes of intimidation before battle. Warriors would proclaim their strength and prowess through highly synchronized and stylized actions, facial contortions and chants. When performed as the ancestors intended, this display is a thing of beauty and raw power. The haka was popularized by New Zealand’s rugby team, the All Blacks, starting in 1888 when the New Zealand Native team first toured the home nations of the United Kingdom and the Haka was introduced as a pre-game tradition. This tradition persists and the All Blacks have an impressive repertoire of hakas documented. Seriously, click the link and watch the video before continuing to read. I’ve developed a mild haka obsession and I have a growing collection of videos from the internet that I will share with you below, so now is a good time to acclimate.

In modern times, the haka ritual is performed for various reasons, including welcoming distinguished guests, acknowledging great achievements, or celebrating and marking occasions like weddings (see below), funerals and homecomings. The haka is a way to express collective emotions. In 2016, New Zealand firefighters honored the victims of 9/11 with a powerful haka. When three New Zealand soldiers fell during battle in Afghanistan, the 2nd and 1st Battalion Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment performed a haka during the funeral procession as a moving tribute to their fallen comrades.

Most haka are performed by men, but there exist some that are performed predominantly by women. After viewing many, many hakas, I have come to the realization that I am not cut out to contribute to a performance. Aside from the introvert’s limited ability to join group participation events, history has taught me that I simply lack the coordination to pull this off. Properly executed, the haka harmonizes the mental, physical and emotional states of individuals and contributes to the shifting of the tectonic plates underlying New Zealand. I hypothesize that hakas may induce seismic disruptions.

I will reiterate that my most fervent wish is to have a haka performed in my honor due to the crazy success of Soul Search in New Zealand. To make this dream come true, I would like to start the process of overwhelming the descendents of the Maori with my literary skill by offering a free eBook to the first ten readers from New Zealand to respond. If any readers of this blog are from New Zealand or if you know anyone from this country, please have them contact me for their free book at reynafavis@gmail.com. If you can, please share this post, so it can maybe make it to New Zealand. Gotta start somewhere…

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Soul Search, Soul Scent, Soul Sign, and Soul Seek novels of supernatural suspense, have been described as Marley & Me meets The Sixth Sense. Readers have praised these novels for the very human stories behind the hauntings that create unexpected plot twists, drama, and even moments of humor. The Zackie Stories are available for purchase as ebook, audiobook, and paperback on Amazon and Audible, and free on Kindle Unlimited.

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