A History of Poi
There has been much evolution to Poi from it’s origins in indigenous New Zealand culture to its modern day association with flow arts and fire. This history discusses and showcases the Origins of Poi, Poi’s Correlation with Juggling, Other Influences on Poi, Culture References, and Playful Twists on Poi.
Origins of Poi
The definition of Poi is “a ball on a cord”. It can also refer to the choreography or music played during performance. It’s origins are found with the indigenous Maori people of Aotearoa also know as New Zealand, prior to the first encounter with Europeans, potentially dating back to 1500 AD. There are two different types of poi. Short being the length of the fingertips to wrist and long going from fingertips to shoulder.
Poi was and still is a staple part of their culture which supports their ritual, ceremony and story telling. Often music, instruments and singing would accompany the choreographed movement. It is also often performed alongside cultural disciplines such as waiata a ringa, haka and titi torea. This practice was also used as a tool to strengthen women’s wrists for weaving and men’s for strength and coordination in battle.
Poi, A Form of Juggling
Poi can actually be categorized as a discipline of Juggling. Going back to at least the early 1900s, juggling has vastly impacted and influenced the development of poi. Club swinging, a long-standing form of juggling, has had a profound influence on poi swinging.
CLUB SWINGING
Club swinging originated in India and was used as weight training tools for wrestling and war. In the 1800s Europeans brought this skill back to the west. Decreasing the size and weight of the clubs for their military training, they continued to gain popularity and evolve as they also helped increase health. Harry Lind was a famous club swinger and juggler in the 1930s with a 20 year career. You can see in his club swinging that there is a correlation between his movement and poi.
OTHER JUGGLERS
While we know that “poi” originated in New Zealand and Juggling forms including club swinging influenced poi. We do not know where today’s modern flow art form of Poi came from or grew in popularity. That being said, there are a variety of of jugglers who have performed with props resembling poi including:
1930s: Kathi Gultini and Paul Pohl
1940s: Joe Marsh’s Eccentric Ball Juggling
1990s: Ruslan Fomenko
Mid-1990s: Gil Pontius – Dr. Stardust
FIRE BALL
Similar to the origins of modern poi, there is no definitive knowledge about the creation of fire poi. Often it associated Hawaii and can be found their dating back to the 1950s. Around 1905 there was an ad for a swinging fire ball in a Van Wyck catalog. Though we do not know the materials used to make this fire ball and whether the attached material is a cord or a rod, this could be another early influence and example of modern poi.
Other Influences on Poi
While juggling has had a wide impact on the evolution and styling of poi, there are several other movement forms which have made there mark including martial arts, South American dance, and rave culture.
NINE SECTION WHIP
The Jiujie Bian also known as the Nine Section Whip is a Chinese martial arts tool which has influenced and translated well to poi. It is made up of nine metal sections with a dart on the end that sometimes has a flag attached to it. The motions are known to be smooth, fast and close to the body. Being a martial arts tool, it is suggested to be trained under instruction as it can be dangerous.
GAUCHO BOLEADORAS DANCE
Bolas or boleadoras are throwing weapons that were used by gauchos or cowboys to catch cattle. In Spanish bolas translates to ball and consists of a long cord with weights or metal balls on the end of it. They would be swung then released trapping the legs of the intended target.
In correlation to poi, bolas are also musical instruments when swung against a firm surface such as wooden floor. Bolas are utilized in hard shoe dance styles including Flamenco, where the sound of the bolas hitting the ground juxtapose the stamping off the feet. You will notice that the swinging is similar to the movement of poi.
GLOW STRINGING
Glow sticks which were first patented for use in the navy and have been investigated by scientist going back to the 1960s have had an influence on poi as well. Glow stringing or the art of swinging glow sticks tied to a string became popular as techno music and rave culture found popularity in the 1980s and 1990s.
Poi in Culture
Other than the movement form we all have come to love, there are other things which may come to mind when you hear the work poi including:
The starchy vegetable product which is a staple food in Polynesian culture.
In the early 1980s New Zealand musical group Patea Maori Club released the song Poi E which was released on the album under the same name. This song reached No. 1 in New Zealand each year over the next 3 decades.
Playful Twists on Poi
Poi has seen much change and evolution from the cultural aspect of the Maori people of New Zealand hundreds of years prior to European settlers arrived on the land. While the poi that is popularized today has its own life and form of its own. There are always new styles and variations coming to light. Playful in its nature itself, poi has tapped into new avenues of fun collaborating with partners and building off its juggling roots through partner poi and juggling poi solo or with a partner.
PARTNER POI
POI PASSING
POI JUGGLING
References
https://www.flashmavi.com/wushu_traditional_whipchain_jiujiebian
https://blackbeltwiki.com/jiu-jie-bian
https://www.homeofpoi.com/us/lessons/teach/History-Culture/Poi-History/History-Maori-POI-in-New-Zealand
https://www.juggle.org/the-history-of-poi-swinging-within-the-juggling-community/
https://wiki2.org/en/Glowsticking