Mau Rakau is a general term referring to the skilled use of weapons . It is said that the use of weapons was taught in the Whare-tū-taua (house or war school). The term Mau taiaha is used to refer to the use of the taiaha and does not necessarily include other weapons.
On Mokoia Island in Lake Rotorua, mainstream schools are run to teach the use of the taiaha. Mita Mohi founded the Mokoia taiaha wānanga, which as of 2007 had trained over 11,000 people over 30 years and had reached over 20,000 people by the time of his death in 2016. Among these is actor Cliff Curtis , who attended a Mau Rakau taiaha program on Mokoia Island at the age of 10. Curtis was like a son to Mohi, helping him whenever he could with prison and community programs.
The Maori are the indigenous people of New Zealand and are known for their fierceness and fighting skills. If you have seen any New Zealand teams (i.e. New Zealand rugby teams) you have probably seen the Haka. The Haka is the traditional war dance or battle cry of the Maori. It is used to intimidate opponents and to increase the fighting spirit of the group shouting the Haka. The Haka is sort of an extended and group version of Karate's Kiai.
