Richard Armitage really did represent the cast at the Powhiri on the opening of filming ‘The Hobbit’, and I really did feel like I was watching my kid make good. Maybe he was right about the maternal feelings, and strangely, that doesn’t feel icky anymore.
edit: video updated with HD
I guess this means I can take the ‘rumors’ tag off my other piece.
[note: Thank you, friend, for sharing this with me. I’m not sure exactly why me, but I hope you know I appreciate it, and I’m so glad we got to see something this quickly.]
Usually I hate housekeeping. I have not been kidding when I’ve said I get bored very easily. That’s why I was such a good fit for IT and new product placement. But it means I hate maintenance, and housekeeping is maintenance. When I first started the blog, I knew there would be maintenance, and so I’ve tried to make it fun, but this time around, I’m really enjoying it. Oh gosh, I cannot believe Richard Armitage has also made me enjoy this. If he could bottle that, he would be a trillionaire.
So what the heck am I talking about? Well, I thought I would group my FanstRAvaganza posts in one place and do a few other things while I was at it. Of course when I do something like that, it means I have to pull up the post, and I sometimes will read them again. Not always as I don’t have the time, but I’ve been listening to the recordings again. What a treat, and I’m certainly not limiting that to Richard Armitage. All of you who have sent me recordings have been such a pleasure to listen to, and there will be more for readers in the following days. I plan to wrap up sometime this weekend if not sooner, but the way things are going, it will probably be this weekend. LOL!
I’m placing all of my FanstRAvaganza posts here so they will be much easier to find and hopefully enjoy.
Until next time, a picture:
Click to enlarge
I thought this one might get your attention, and you can click on it to enlarge. Ohcheemama!! See what I mean about Richard Armitage making housekeeping fun? :D And I received an alert this morning about RA being discussed on a student site. It was rather interesting to “hear” the college girls talking about him and the guys. *smirk* I couldn’t help but think of two college girls near and dear to me. One thinks he’s the hottest thing she has ever seen, and the other one is scared of him but thinks he is very handsome. They’ve never seen this picture. I’m not sure what they would think, but I know if I had a been a college student and happened to see that standing off in front of me, I would be in a daze. Truly. He is that good looking in this picture. Hell, I’m almost in a daze now.
Oh, I have to stop. This picture is probably worthy of another post. Um, yeah, I’ll have to talk about this one again later, and if this is your picture, please let me know. I’ve been saving this one for a long time (couple of years), but I would really like to use it (well, I guess I have). I just like to give proper credit. So let me know!
edit:
Photo courtesy of @kuchinggirl on Twitter, and what a photo it is!
No, this isn’t a FanstRAvaganza post but another interruption, because frankly, I can’t help myself.
I’ve talked about RA’s voice and his ear and the wonderful vibrations, and I even posted a little sample of what Thorin may sound like, but aren’t any of you really curious about what’s going on in New Zealand?!! Oh, I want to know! Where is he exactly? What is he doing? Which way did he go? Huh?
Perhaps there will soon be some more photos or at least some words. I know several are hanging on the tweets of Robert Kazinsky and the blog pieces and flickr from Ian McKellen, and maybe a few other things floating around or on the periphery of RA universe. Those have all certainly been treats. I’ve absolutely loved them, but dammit! I want some hard news about RA! LOL! I haven’t gotten any since the cricket match fundraiser and the picture with Vicki Treadell, the British High Commissioner to New Zealand.
I did recently read that ‘The Hobbit’ cast participated in a powhiri or Maori welcoming ceremony the day filming commenced. I knew a little bit about the ceremony since a close friend of mine spent a month in New Zealand a couple of years ago. Actually, I just knew it was a welcoming ceremony, and that’s about it. LOL! So I went in search of info but became a little confused as there was so much terminology to learn. Thankfully, I found a very clear write-up of the parts of the powhiri:
* Kawa – customs or protocols for greeting visitors. These introductory instructions are first given to the manuhiri, or visitors, such that they may be guided “safely through the spiritual and physical realms,” and so “they understand what is expected of them”10.
* Taki (or wero) – a challenge is presented, where warriors appear to determine the intentions of the visitors. If the visitors’ intentions are peaceful, the warriors present a rautapu, or some sort of symbolic peace offering, which the visitors “nod and acknowledge that [they have]… received it”11. Once this is done, the warriors guide the visitors into the sacred marae.
* Karanga – the vocal call of a female begins which will be a kind a purifying preparation or “clear a spiritual pathway between the hosts and visitors… acknowledging the spirits of all our ancestors who have passed on into the veil of the world, without end.”12. It is a type of call to the Maori and visitors’ ancestors.
* Karakia – a prayer or blessing is offered to the gods to “bring everyone together. Asking assistance of a superior being to give spiritual protection to all those who are participating in the powhiri”13. This is a type of demon or devil cleansing such that everyone may be “free from any destructive spiritual influences”14.
* Mihi – formal greetings and identification of who you are. It is a recitation of your ancestors, history, family line (genealogy), and your relationship to one another. These details were often only known by oral transmission and memory.15
* Waiata – a spiritual song is sung. “Traditional waiata of the ancestors were often aligned with spiritual
events, which could include supporting karakia or prayer to evoke supernatural forces”16.
* Koha – the act of gifting, in a very honorable, dignified, way. Traditionally this was done by offering assistance in the gathering of food, or taonga, treasures. Today it is usually a monetary-type gift. 17
* Hongi – the unique and very sacred Maori physical embrace wherein the two sides become one. “The hongi is the traditional greeting of nose pressing. It is the exchange of the ha, or breath of life… This greeting makes the visitor at one with the tangata whenua [hosts]”18. “The most sacred part of the Maori is this portion here – the face and head. When you make contact with a fellow human, it’s the embracing, the light touching of the noses. Because you’re now dealing with the most sacred part of the person. It’s the essence of life to mankind. Where else does the breath of life enter man?”19. This is the portion of the ceremony in which the breath of life is exchanged and intermingled between host and visitor, and makes the visitors one with the Maori, ready to share in all responsibilities and duties. This tradition is said to have come “directly from the gods”20. “In Maori folklore, woman was created by the gods moulding her shape out of the earth. The god Tane (meaning male) embraced the figure and breathed into her nostrils. She then sneezed and came to life. Her name was Hineahuone (earth formed woman)”21. Sometimes this embrace in the ceremony also includes the hariru, which is a handshake between hosts and visitors, and even a kiss or hug. One website describes it thus:
Direction will be given for manuhiri to go forward to hariru/shake hands, hug or hongi with tangata whenua. Whether you hariru, hongi, hug or do all three is entirely up to you at the time. We trust people will feel culturally comfortable whatever their choice. The action of performing hongi is associated with the hariru. The two people shake hands, each using the right hand. At the same time the left hand maybe placed on or near the other person’s shoulder. The head is bent, the eyes closed, and sometimes foreheads touch as noses are pressed. Some choose to press once and some twice – both ways are of equal significance. Invariably, tangata whenua will indicate their kawa/ways by example. It is appropriate to say “tena koe”/”hello to you” or “kia ora”/”greetings” as part of the greeting. In this greeting our ancestors meet as we meet and together we share the breath of life. This physical contact between manuhiri and tangata whenua completes lifts the waewae tapu/sacredness of first time visitors, allowing us all to be one, as tangata whenua for the duration of this Gathering. The running of the marae, for the time of our stay, is now ours to share.22
* Hakari – ritual feasting and sharing of traditional foods in a banquet to finish the binding together. “At the conclusion of that you are finally part of the family. And it’s a very happy occasion. And you can feel it. There’s a warmth in the room amongst everyone”23………
* Poroporaoki (or Mihi-whakamutunga) – final speeches and farewell. It is the returning of the esteem and authority of the Maori hosts back to them. It is a time of reflection on becoming one or a part of the Maori people.
(emphasis mine)
As I was surfing around, it was hard not to realize the importance of the powhiri and in particular the hongi to the Maori:
Essentially it’s the moment the hosts and visitors become one, and I remember my friend telling me how powerful it was to observe.
The Hongi:
Of course eventually I was burning with curiosity to know how RA fit into all of this, and it was almost as if my thoughts were heard and someone took pity on me. I received a note from someone in a position to know something about what went on, or maybe they have only inflamed me some more? :D
To be the leader of the visitors is pretty intimidating – you have to maintain eye contact and yet be diplomatic. Plus to speak Maori in a public occasion is tough. But Richard was the one who replied for the whole cast and even spoke Maori in his reply. Very impressive.
Yes, I think I’ve definitely been inflamed. LOL! My mind is working overtime to imagine him speaking Maori and being honored to represent the cast! Is there any doubt that he did his homework on the powhiri? Yes, that’s what I thought; he definitely was prepared. This is what is so lovely about him — he actually has a wonderful brain and uses it. Thank you, Richard!
I hope some photos emerge to confirm what I’m saying and to help along the wonderful picture in my head. Whatever the case, this is fun to imagine.
Edit: And it turned out to be true! :D More on that here.
I was watching the Cats Rehearsal videos, and I swear I recognized Richard Armitage immediately. Maybe I do feel maternal towards him. Really, someone please slap me for even going here. I’m not old enough to be his mother!! But well, I can do this with my kids. I’ve even amazed myself at times, and SO thinks it’s hilarious how I can recognize them from very faraway and even in really dim light. One time we were driving down the road, and way off in the distance we saw someone walking towards us, and I casually said, “There’s our son.” He laughed and said, “No way you can tell from this distance.” Of course I was right. I’m always right about this. :D A mother’s instincts are eerily correct. Anyone who’s a mother and recognizes her own child’s cries knows exactly what I’m talking about.
Interestingly, I was not the least maternal before I had kids. I mean I could have cared less about them. I didn’t even think they were cute and never liked holding anyone’s baby. I’m still not big on that. I was so unmaternal that it made me hesitant to have children. There was a fear in the back of my mind and sometimes in the front of it that I would be a lousy mother. But oh my gosh! that hormone was bigger than I was, and crashed over my head to magically transform me into a momma!
I’m not quite sure what’s crashed over my head to make me so aware of Richard Armitage’s movements, but a couple of years of watching him might have something to do with it. LOL! Actually, as of a few weeks ago, I passed the three year mark. So Servetus, now you know what the beginning of year four looks like. :D
Check out the guy who jumps onto the middle of the stage at the beginning of this clip. He’s really big and tall, has his hair in a ponytail, and he has on what looks like a blue tank top.
In case you missed him, you can see him again in this one below. He’s on the left at the beginning of the clip. He does run off camera at one point, but then he comes back with a vengeance. He’s so big you can’t miss him. Oh, it’s a thing of beauty!
If you’re still not sure, maybe the screencaps will convince you. Do I even need to point him out? I mean really. It’s so obvious. Or maybe I’m seeing things?
Seriously, do I need to draw some arrows? I didn’t think so.
Isn’t this a beautiful shot with his arms thrown up:
And of course I could be wrong about this, but I don’t think so. :D
I had a post ready to go about RA possibly being Namor in Captain America. But it seems after watching the recent footage of the filming of a gunfight in New York (aka Manchester), a man looking and running very much like RA appears to be a baddie, which means it can’t be Namor. I’m reasonably sure of this since reading up on the characters. Also, it doesn’t appear that he can be Namor if he’s just in a shootout (see clip below). I could be completely wrong about this, but after reading a few comic book sites, that’s what I understand.
However, it’s possible that RA is a Nazi henchman named Heinz Kruger. Deadgummit! That means he won’t be in the movie very long if he’s Kruger, and it also means I can’t go to town on the character. If I were more convinced he would play Namor, I would be prepared to go on and on about this character who comes from a fictitious race of people, is the first known comic book anti-hero and bi-polar to boot. Oh, great fodder for this blog! But it’s not to be. (I’m shaking my head as I write this. I hope RA knows he has some really rabid loyal fans out there who will even talk about comic book characters when they CAN’T STAND that stuff. Before now I’ve often imagined guys who were into comic books as the same ones who sat in rooms alone and did things to themselves that I can’t mention on this blog and still keep it “safe for work.”) Making light of a Nazi is not nearly so much fun. But if I had my clever hat on today, maybe I could have come up with a little ditty like “Springtime for Hitler” to describe Kruger. (Thoughts of an Argentine Tango dance in my head. Yeah, I know it doesn’t fit; I would have worked it in somehow.) But I’m not so clever today. Heck, I’m doing well to post this.
When the action starts, check out the man in the light gray suit who runs and jumps into car on the far right of the screen:
If you’re wondering if this is RA, then check out this screencap posted by kadamanja on yesterday’s blog piece:
If you have been keeping up, then you may already know that some footage was taken on the Captain America set in Manchester yesterday, and it seems someone who looks like RA was on set. Here are a couple of screencaps from that footage.
If that’s not him, it’s someone who looks just like him.
And if you watch this footage you can see this person moves just like him:
It’s Monday morning where I am, and I can’t think of a better time to do a little housekeeping. Sorry this post isn’t more interesting. I’m actually testing something, so as Elvira might say, “Nothing here to see; move along.” :D
Oh, never mind! I have to relent and post something you might find interesting since you did come over here to look.
A behind the scenes shot in Russia seems perfect for this entry. Unless you own the Spooks 7* DVDs, you may have only seen this in stills. Producer Katie Swinden is narrating/interviewing:
The twinkle in RA’s eyes is evident in that clip. The little boy quality just fairly jumps out and grabs you, uh, me, whomever. And speaking of Katie Swinden ;-), I think she is beautiful. Seriously. My apologies if she hates this picture. I love it! How many people look this good without a stitch of make up? I shudder to think what some celebrities look like. Katie has nothing to be ashamed of – sunburn be damned.
If my read on her is correct, she would probably say, “About right I would be in a post on housekeeping.” But this is no longer merely a housekeeping post since I’m now on a tangent. But I can’t call it a tangent. Too much RA in the post. I’ll have to come up with another category that isn’t quite a tangent. Dang! I just thought I was going to get out of housekeeping.
*In the UK, MI-5 is called Spooks. This is for all of you who did a search on the show MI-5 and are wondering how you wound up here.
I guess I should have made a Facebook page before this week. My hit count has gone up quite a bit from that link! So welcome to all of you who have come here from Facebook. I love you! It’s just Facebook that doesn’t thrill me. It’s a pain in the ass to get around on, and they (the guys who run that place) make the functions one way. There is no back out plan on some things unless you’re technical and have a crystal ball or you’re a bulldog. I’m technical but don’t have a crystal ball; however, I am a bulldog. Even though this is what you have to be if you’re going to run a “page” on FB, I hesitate to go into that mode. But for RA and all of you, it’s worth it. Hope you enjoy the blog. :D
Hmm. I almost hate to associate RA’s picture with Facebook, but I did post his picture over there several times now, and this is really in honor of all of you. So I’ll post one that some of you might not have seen. OH, and since snaffling seems to be the order of the week ;-), I snaffled this one from Mulubinba. Over here. Be sure to thank her! and frankly, she has a wonderful blog that’s thoughtful on several levels. Definitely one of my favorites.
I also need to say thanks to WordPress or whomever it was that wouldn’t allow me to embed that Strike Back Viral video on my first attempt. Yes, good can come out of bad. I’ve always known that, but Facebook had me doubting it.
edit:
I’ve added snaffle to the lexicon. I didn’t learn it from the RA fandom but would have never used it in a sentence if not for the British ladies I now interact with on a frequent basis. The context in this blog entry makes the meaning pretty plain, but hey, you need to read the lexicon if you haven’t already.
RAFrenzy 