Maori Poi

"POI" is the Maori word for "ball" on a cord. 

The Poi is originally made from the Maori people, Maori Woman have performed the Maori Poi for over a thousand years, a dance with a ball attached to a string swung in rhythm to a song to keep the Wahine (Women) Hands flexible to weave Flax. 

In the early Maori tribes the woman job was to bring up their children and weave flax into clothing, in their spare time they would make Poi. 

Back in those days Poi was made out of flax and bulrush. 

They would usually twist flax leaves together for cords and adding the ball with bulrush which gave it a weighted end, the ball and cord were then joined together. 

Men of the Maori tribe often used the Poi to increase strength in their hands and arms, to improve balance for later on battles. 

The ancient form of a Poi has changed a lot. People now perform the Fire Poi, Tailed Poi and L.E.D Poi. These different designs of Poi were all originally came from the first generation Poi. Also the Poi has changed by the looks as you can see in pictures left to right.