There are a lot of versions of the Haka. When I went to college (High School for Americans) we had our own Haka – we had one for our home Island, Matakana. By the time I was ion my twenties i could confidently do around half a dozen. The best known was the Haka the All Blacks do – but its become contentious the last few years as there has been cases of Haka misappropriation. Listening to Sir Timoti Karetu being interviewed by Dale Husband the other day he prompted me to think about what happened the other weekend where the Destiny Church and Brian Tamaki continued to use the Haka when pushing his kaupapa. There have been several notable cases of the misuse of the haka, both in Aotearoa and overseas. These incidents have often sparked controversy, especially among Māori communities, who view the haka as a sacred expression of identity, culture, and collective purpose. Anti-vax groups in Aotearoa performed haka at protest rallies-claiming to stand for “freedom” and “sovereignty”. Ngāti Toa Rangatira, the iwi who hold guardianship over the haka “Ka Mate”, issued a public statement demanding protestors stop using it:
“We do not support their position and we do not want our tūpuna or our iwi associated with their messages.”
Destiny Church protestors performed a haka while burning LGBTQ+, Muslim, and other cultural flags in Auckland. Māori leaders and organisations, including Maranga Mai, condemned the use of haka in this setting as a “perversion of tikanga”, describing it as hate-fuelled and inflammatory. Academic Eru Kapa-Kingi called it a misappropriation of cultural practice that violated Māori values of manaakitanga and tapu.
The haka traces its origins to Māori cosmology. One version links it to Tāne-rore, the son of the sun god Tama-nui-te-rā and his wife Hine-raumati, the embodiment of summer. When Tāne-rore danced for his mother, the trembling of the air on hot days symbolised his performance-a spiritual and physical form of haka. This origin highlights the haka not as a war dance alone, but as a celebration of life, movement, and energy (mauri).
Before European arrival, haka were widely used by iwi across Aotearoa. Far from being only a war ritual, they served diverse functions:
- Welcoming guests (manuhiri) onto marae
- Acknowledging achievements or milestones
- Mourning the dead (tangihanga)
- Preparing for battle, known as haka peruperu, with weapons and fierce facial expressions to intimidate enemies
- Celebrating victories or defiance, sometimes performed without weapons (haka taparahi)
Each haka varied between iwi, with its own dialect, rhythm, movement, and tribal meaning.
Following colonisation and land confiscation, haka-like many Māori traditions-were suppressed or relegated to performance. In the 19th century, haka began to appear during treaty meetings, political gatherings, and Kīngitanga (Māori King Movement) events as forms of protest or pride.
Despite colonial pressures, haka remained a cornerstone of cultural identity. Schools, especially Māori boarding schools, became vital in preserving and passing down haka traditions.
Haka and the All Blacks
Perhaps the most globally recognised haka is “Ka Mate”, composed by Ngāti Toa chief Te Rauparaha in the early 1800s. It tells a story of escape and survival, not warfare.
In 1888–89, the New Zealand Native football team toured the UK and performed haka before matches. Since then, the haka has become a defining ritual of the All Blacks, New Zealand’s national rugby team.
In 2005, the team introduced “Kapa o Pango”, a new haka gifted to reflect the strength and unity of the modern team and their connection to Māori culture.
From the 1970s Māori cultural renaissance onward, haka has surged in popularity and significance:
- Used in protest movements like the Māori Land March and at Waitangi
- Revived in kapa haka (Māori performing arts) competitions, such as Te Matatini
- Performed at graduations, funerals, and international events
- Adopted by schools, sports teams, and even political movements to show unity and respect
Today, haka is a living, evolving expression of mana, whakapapa (genealogy), and collective strength.
Types of Haka
- Haka Taparahi – ceremonial haka without weapons
- Haka Peruperu -war haka with weapons, foot stamping, and jumps
- Ngeri – short haka to motivate or challenge
- Manawa wera – performed at tangihanga (funerals)
- Kaioraora – haka expressing hatred or vengeance (rarely performed today)
The haka is far more than a war dance. It is an expression of identity, history, emotion, and intent. Its rhythms and gestures carry deep ancestral knowledge, offering both a bridge to the past and a beacon for Māori cultural survival and pride in the present.
