A wild facial expression made by someone performing a haka.
he was doing a pukana at the camera
Example sentencesExamples
The first competition involves visitors giving their best pukana (haka face).
Three young Maori warriors sprung forth from inside the stadium, prancing, flashing their pukana (wild-eyed grimaces) and swinging their taiaha (long wooden clubs).
The faces contort into a myriad of expressions, pukana, tongues out, eyes screwed up, with hoots of laughter and playful shoving.
You find the whatero and pukana posturing highly amusing?
It even teaches the haka-ending facial "pukana" in which the eyes bulge and men stick out their tongues.
Like the Maori warrior whose spirit bursts forth in pukana, this is the body as a nexus between that outside the individual and that within.
I can do a good pukana.
The best pukana photo will win an evening at Te Po - the Indigenous Evening Experience at Te Puia.
In mostly unsympathetic roles, the cast are excellent, and the fantastic dancers are vital: a rugby scrum becomes a bull; flamenco flourishes are matched with pukana eyes.
Add yourself to Wellington's story by showing us your best pukana and getting your photo taken at Mojo.