A haka is a traditional war cry and chant originally used to intimidate tribal opponents and enemies with loud shouts, chest thumps and exaggerated facial features and movements.
The traditional Maori ritual has even gained popularity outside of New Zealand and made its way into pop culture. Actor Jason Mamoa (who is of Hawaiian descent) performed the haka on the red-carpet premiere of his new film 'Aquaman,' and Variety's Mark Malkin was there to capture the enthralling performance.The story behind the hakaNew Zealand's calls the haka 'a type of ancient Maori war dance traditionally used on the battlefield, as well as when groups came together in peace.' A paper published in in 2002 explains that 'haka is the generic name for all types of dance or ceremonial performance that involve movement' within the Maori culture. Haka as an all-encompassing term for dance or performance may be the most accurate. The Encyclopedia of New Zealand chronicles that were outlined in 1975, each with different meanings, steps, words and accessories.The All Blacks' team website goes further, explaining the:According to Maori ethos, Tama-nui-to-ra, the Sun God, had two wives, Hine-raumati, the Summer maid, and Hine takurua, the Winter maid.
The child born to him and Hine-raumati was Tane-rore, who is credited with the origin of the dance. Tane-rore is the trembling of the air as seen on the hot days of summer, and represented by the quivering of the hands in the dance.Regardless of the particular definition, the haka is part of the Maori culture and tradition. A haka tells stories, and, in the case of the All Blacks' haka, sometimes it can be a story, too.The All Blacks weren't the only rugby team in New Zealand to adopt a haka. The New Zealand Kiwis perform a haka in this undated photo. (Photo: State Library of New South Wales collection/Wikimedia Commons)The 1888-89 New Zealand rugby team, which was comprised almost entirely of Maori players, toured certain parts of the U.K. And Australia and performed a haka prior to their games. By 1905 or 1906, when the team first played in England, they were performing a haka called 'Ka Mate.'
The 'Ka Mate' was composed around 1820 by Te Rauparaha, the chief of the Ngati Toa iwi, or tribe, from New Zealand's North Island. It tells the story of Te Rauparaha attempting to escape the pursuit of a rival iwi. He finds a hiding place within a sweet potato pit that is guarded by a woman, Te Rangikoaea.
In addition to guarding the pit, Te Rangikoaea is also dispelling the magic that the other iwi warriors are using in their attempts to find Te Rauparaha.As the warriors approach the pit, Te Rauparaha, mutters to himself 'Ka mate, ka mate,' which means 'It is death' or 'Will I die?' When they pass and he is undetected, Te Rauparaha declares 'Ka ora, ka ora!,' or 'It is life!' He emerges from the pit, having survived a dangerous encounter.When the All Blacks perform the haka, they only perform this particular part.
Maori cultural expert Inia Maxwell that this is just the last third of the whole haka. On the surface, this doesn't have much to do with rugby. But the whole idea of overcoming the odds is a core component of competitive sports, so the story of Te Rauparaha resonates on some level.A dance laden with historyKnowing the story of the 'Ka Mate,' however, is important to the athletes who perform it as it makes them aware of cultural tradition. It's also important for spectators.The Maori have been deeply involved with rugby in New Zealand; indeed, prior to the 1920s, rugby teams in the country were very well integrated, with more Maori on the team than Pakeha, or New Zealanders of European descent. When the All Blacks and other teams began touring countries more regularly, Maori players were banned from play to accommodate the demands of South Africa's apartheid laws.
This practice, which inspired the Halt All Racist Tours protest group, and the New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU), the sport's governing body, until 2010.Māori warriors perform a haka for then-Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta during a visit to Auckland, New Zealand in September 2012. (Photo: Erin A.
Kirk-Cuomo/Department of Defense/Wikimedia Commons)The Maori have, to a certain extent, done better in the post-colonial period than many other indigenous groups. New Zealand made, arts and culture as a part of the country's national identity. The Maori have some degree of political power on both national and local levels, but they still face challenges in having the government recognize, the founding document of New Zealand.Given the complicated relationship between various governing bodies and the Maori, the performance of a haka can either be viewed as a ' but also a heartening example of postcolonial cohesion' or an ' of that cohesion.
When you consider that the haka is one of the things the All Blacks are known for — to the point that it was a major part of the — ownership of the haka itself becomes important. So important, in fact, that the — and won, even if the victory is viewed as largely symbolic.The All Blacks seem aware of the potentially fraught standing of the 'Ka Mate' haka.
In fact, in 2005, the team had a new haka commissioned specifically for them, titled the 'Kapa o Pango,' though they still perform 'Ka Mate.' The new haka, which is performed at the team's discretion, was crafted by haka expert Derek Lardelli.
He told the that, 'They wanted a haka that said who they were, where they are from, and to create a legacy they wanted to leave for future All Blacks.' To that end, the 'Kapa o Pango' is a rallying cry for the All Blacks, a haka that proclaims their victory and their connection to the land under their feet. It, like the 'Ka Mate,' is an impressive sight, and one that helps explain what the All Blacks are today: A multicultural sports team with a rich tradition that can both acknowledge its past and make its own future.Editor's note: This article has been updated since it was originally published in July 2018.
The at the climax of their haka before a 1932 test against.During 1888–89, the toured the of the United Kingdom, the first team from a colony to do so. It was originally intended that only Māori players would be selected, but four non-Māori were finally included. As the non-Māori were born in New Zealand, the name 'Native' was considered justified. The team performed a haka before the start of their first match on 3 October 1888 against Surrey. They were described as using the words 'Ake ake kia kaha' which suggests that the haka was not 'Ka Mate'. It was intended that before each match they would perform the haka dressed in traditional Māori costume but the costumes were soon discarded.The 'Ka Mate' haka was not well known at this time. In 1900, a newspaper reported New Zealand soldiers in the chanting 'Ka Mate!
The soldiers thought it meant 'Kill him! But during the, warriors revived 'Ka Mate' when they performed it to welcome the at Rotorua. Newspapers described the full actions of this 'ancient ngeri', printing its complete Maori words and an accurate translation. A movie cameraman recorded the performance.
'Ka Mate' became famous, and was widely performed throughout New Zealand.Nevertheless, when New Zealand played its first full international test match against Australia in Sydney in August 1903, the New Zealanders' war cry was 'Tena Koe Kangaroo.' (full details below)In 1905 New Zealand made their first tour of Britain.
This was the first time the team were referred to as the and this particular team also became known as the '. It is uncertain whether they performed a haka before every match, but they at least performed 'Ka Mate' before their first test, against, and before the match against. The Welsh crowd, led by the Welsh team, responded by singing the.When a team played Wales in 1916, the words of 'Ka Mate' were included in the printed programme, indicating that the haka was established as an accompaniment to New Zealand rugby teams playing overseas. The performing the haka at the.The 1924–25 New Zealand rugby team which toured the United Kingdom, Irish Free State, France and Canada and which was nicknamed the, performed a haka that was written for them during the voyage to England by two supporters, Judge of the and Wiremu Rangi of. The haka was led by star player. It was performed before all but two of the tour matches. Reporters criticised the team for disappointing the crowd on the two occasions it was not performed.A pre-match haka was not always performed on All Blacks tours.
The team that toured did not perform one before matches, although they did some impromptu performances at social functions. In the early decades, haka were only rarely performed at home matches, such as the third test of the, played in.
Main article:The All Blacks are believed to have first performed a choreographed and synchronized version of the ' haka in 1906.It is said that this Haka was composed by of to commemorate his escape from death during an incident in 1810. Chased by his enemies, he hid in a food-storage pit under the skirt of a woman. He climbed out to find someone standing over him, who, instead of killing Te Rauparaha, turned out to be another chief friendly to him.
In relief, Te Rauparaha performed this ancient haka, which had been performed all through Aotearoa for centuries. The story of Te Rauparaha was merely woven into several older stories about this haka.Performance The 'Ka Mate' haka generally opens with a set of five preparatory instructions shouted by the leader,before the whole team joins in: 'Ka Mate' Leader:Taringa whakarongo!Ears open!Kia rite! Kia mau!Get ready.! Stand fast!Team:Hī!Yeah!Leader:Ringa ringa pakia!Slap the hands against the thighs!Waewae takahia kia kino nei hoki!Stomp the feet as hard as you can!Team:Kia kino nei hoki!As hard as we can!Leader:Ka mate, ka mateI die! I die!Team:Ka ora' Ka ora'I live! I live!Leader:Ka mate, ka mateI die!
I die!Team:Ka ora' Ka ora'I live! I live!All:Tēnei te tangata pūhuruhuruHere stands the Hairy Man.Nāna ne I tiki mai whakawhiti te rā.who summons the Sun and makes it shine on us!A Upane! Ka Upane!Ride now!
Ride now!A Upane Kaupane'Take the first step!Whiti te rā,!Let the sunshine in!Hī!Rise!' Tena Koe Kangaroo' 1903 Early in July 1903, when the New Zealand players were assembling in Wellington for their Australian tour, reported that 'A unique souvenir has been prepared for the New Zealand team by Mr C. It contains the following warcry':Tena koe, KangarooHow are you, KangarooTupoto koe, Kangaroo!You look out, Kangaroo!Niu Tireni tenei haere neiNew Zealand is invading youAu Au Aue a!Woe woe woe to you!The Post's rugby correspondent later reported that the war-cry was first practised by the New Zealand team in mid-Tasman on Monday 13 July, and first performed 'in response to several calls' at their official reception at Sydney on Thursday 16 July.
The reported wording and translation were published next day in the and in the on 19 July 1903, after the first match against NSW.The New Zealanders played ten matches on the tour (won 10, lost 0, points for 276, points against 13). Presumably the warcry was performed before all their matches although a search in only located mention of its use before 'the first test match'. 'Ko Niu Tireni' 1924 The Invincibles performed this haka during their unbeaten 1924–1925 tour. It was written during their voyage to England by Wiremu Rangi of Gisborne, and polished up by of the Native Land Court.
It had two verses, but the second verse ( Put a few of your famous teams on display, and let's play each other in friendship) was omitted in later matches.First verse of Ko Niu Tireni, with a 1925 translation Kia whakangawari au i a hauLet us prepare ourselves for the preyI au-e! Hei!(The sound of being ready)Ko Niu Tireni e haruru nei!The New Zealand storm is about to breakAu, Au, aue hā! Hei!(The sound of the imminent storm.)Ko Niu Tireni e haruru nei!The New Zealand storm waxes fiercerAu, Au, aue hā! Hei!(Sounds of The height of the storm.)A ha-ha!Ka tū te ihiihiWe shall stand fearlessKa tū te wanawanaWe shall stand exalted in spiritKi runga ki te rangi,We shall climb to the heavensE tū iho nei, tū iho nei, hī!We shall attain the zenith the utmost heights.Au! Au!Newspaper reports of early games spoke of the 'weird war cry of the visitors' in response to the crowds' singing. Thus the fifth game at Swansea began with 40,000 waiting Welshmen singing, and then, to which the All Blacks responded with a 'weird chant led by Nepia'.But as fame of their unbeaten status spread, so did the status of their haka. At the beginning of their 22nd game in Wales at Llanelli, we readOn the appearance of the men in red, 'Sosban Fach' was sung with great enthusiasm.
Nepia then led the All Blacks in their famous war dance, which was very impressive. One could almost hear a pin drop while it was rendered. The crowd again sang 'Sosban Fach' in reply. The haka in 'Finnegans Wake' Irish writer heard this haka performed at the ' match at Paris in January 1925.
He modified some of the words and used them in his word-play novel.Let us propel us for the frey of the fray! Us, us, beraddy!Ko Niutirenis hauru leish! A lala!Ko Niutirenis haururu laleish! Ala lala!The Wullingthund sturm is breaking.The sound of maormaoringThe Wellingthund sturm waxes fuercilier.Finnegans Wake, 2nd ed. 1950, Book II chap iii, page 335.' Kapa o Pango' 2005. Main article: Overview Before a match against South Africa on 27 August 2005 at in Dunedin, the All Blacks unexpectedly introduced a new haka, 'Kapa o Pango'.
It featured an extended and aggressive introduction by team captain highlighted by a drawing of the thumb down the throat. This was interpreted by many as a 'throat-slitting' action directed at the opposing team. The All Blacks went on to win the match 31 to 27.The words to 'Kapa o Pango' are more specific to the rugby team than 'Ka Mate', referring to the warriors in black and the silver fern.The new haka was developed by of by modifying the first verse of 'Ko Niu Tirini,' the haka used by the 1924 All Blacks.
An NZRU press release stated thatKapa o Pango has been over a year in the making, and was created in consultation with many experts in Māori culture. It will serve as a complement to 'Ka Mate' rather than a replacement, to be used for 'special occasions'.
Published words and the NZRU explanation 'Kapa o Pango' Kapa o Pango kia whakawhenua au i ahau!All Blacks, let me become one with the landHī aue, hī!Ko Aotearoa e ngunguru nei!This is our land that rumblesAu, au, aue hā!It's our time! It's our moment!Ko Kapa o Pango e ngunguru nei!This defines us as the All BlacksAu, au, aue hā!It's our time! It's our moment!I āhahā!Ka tū te ihiihiOur dominanceKa tū te wanawanaOur supremacy will triumphKi runga ki te rangi e tū iho nei, tū iho nei, hī!And be placed on highPonga rā!Silver fern!Kapa o Pango, aue hī!All Blacks!Ponga rā!Silver fern!Kapa o Pango, aue hī, hā!All Blacks!Words chanted on field, and their literal interpretation Taringa whakarongo!Let your ears listenKia rite! Hī!Get ready.! Yeah!Kia whakawhenua au i ahau!Let me become one with the landHī aue, hī!(assertive sounds to raise adrenaline levels)Ko Aotearoa e ngunguru nei!New Zealand is rumbling hereAu, au, aue hā!Ko Kapa o Pango e ngunguru nei!The Team in Black is rumbling hereAu, au, aue hā!I āhahā!Ka tū te IhiihiStand up to the fearKa tū te WanawanaStand up to the terrorKi runga ki te rangi,To the sky above,!E tū iho nei, tū iho nei, hī!Fight up there, high up there. Yeah!Ponga rā!The shadows fall!Kapa o Pango, aue hī!Team in Black, yeah!Ponga rā!Darkness falls!Kapa o Pango, aue hī, hā!Team in Black, Yeah, Ha!The words of both 'Kapa o Pango' and 'Ko Niu Tireni' are taken from the haka of the earthquake god Ruaumoko, Ko Ruaumoko e ngunguru nei.
The lines beginning Ka tū te ihi-ihi. Are found in many old haka.
Ponga ra, ponga ra is the opening line of 'Te Kiri Ngutu,' an 1880s lament for stolen territory. Responses and controversies. Haka prior to a game against in, France.The haka, while normally enjoyed by spectators, has been criticised as an unsporting attempt to intimidate the opposition before the match begins. However, most teams accept that the haka is part of rugby's heritage and face up to the All Blacks during its performance, with both teams standing about 10 metres apart. The 2007 Portuguese Rugby team Captain said of the haka that 'We faced it, gave it the respect it deserved and it gave us motivation and we knew if it gave them strength, it was also a point of strength for us.'
Ignoring the haka is a tactic sometimes used by opposing teams. Famously, the did a warm up drill well away from the All Blacks during their 1996 test match in Wellington. More recently, the ignored the haka during a 2007 World Cup Pool Match. All Black team member, said later that in his opinion the snub had backfired and provided motivation to his team.Australian back often ignored the haka, most notably in the semi-final victory over the All Blacks, when he chose to practice warm-up drills instead of facing the All Blacks.In 1989, as the All Blacks were performing the haka in before playing, the Irish lined up in a tight V formation to facing New Zealand and then edged closer and closer to the All Blacks. By the time the end of the haka came, captain was only inches from Buck Shelford's face.In 1997, was disciplined for responding to the haka before the start of an vs. Cockerill went toe-to-toe with his opposite number Norm Hewitt while they performed the haka. The referee became so concerned that Hewitt and Cockerill would begin fighting that he pushed Cockerill away from Hewitt.
Cockerill went on to say afterwards 'I believe that I did the right thing that day,' he said. 'They were throwing down a challenge and I showed them I was ready to accept it. I'm sure they would rather we did that than walk away.'
![War Dance Haka Text War Dance Haka Text](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/97/New_Zealand_Maori_Culture_001_%285396249586%29.jpg/170px-New_Zealand_Maori_Culture_001_%285396249586%29.jpg)
In recent times when the haka is performed against England, it is often drowned out by England fans singing '.In 2005, the All Blacks agreed to a request from the to repeat the sequence of events from the original match a century before in 1905. This involved the All Blacks performing the haka after ' and before '. For the November 2006 test, the Welsh Rugby Union demanded a repeat of this sequence. The All Blacks refused, and instead chose to perform the haka in their changing room before the match. All Blacks captain defended the decision by stating that the haka was 'integral to New Zealand culture and the All Blacks' heritage' and 'if the other team wants to mess around, we'll just do the haka in the shed'. The crowd reacted negatively to the lack of the haka and then being shown brief footage of the haka on the screens at the.In 2006, the TV channel in Australia aired a commercial which used digital enhancement to add handbags to video of New Zealand rugby players performing the haka.
This was inspired by an incident when former All Black captain struck teammate over the head with a woman's handbag after the. All Blacks assistant coach criticised the advertisement, saying 'It is insensitive, I think, to Māori and disrespectful of the All Blacks'.The 'Kapa o Pango' haka created controversy when the gesture of a thumb drawn down the throat was interpreted by many observers as implying throat slitting. The All Blacks and Māori interpreted it as drawing the breath of life into the heart and lungs (' hauora'). This led to calls for it to be banned, although a poll conducted in July 2006 showed 60 percent support in New Zealand. During 's, the put the haka on a temporary hiatus, to review its appropriateness, by asking the All Blacks not to perform it against Ireland.In the 2007 Rugby World Cup quarter-finals, France, after having won the coin toss for the choice of uniforms, famously wore the blue/white/red of the French flag and walked up to within a metre of the haka performance, forming a line of opposition to the performance by the All Blacks, who were wearing a predominantly silver uniform (as opposed to the traditional all black). France went on to beat the All Blacks 20–18.In the 2008 Rugby Autumn Tests, Wales responded to the haka by standing on the pitch refusing to move until the All Blacks did. This resulted in the referee Jonathan Kaplan berating both teams for a full two minutes after the haka had ended until eventually New Zealand captain McCaw instructed his team to break off.
After a spirited first half display which ended with Wales leading 9–6, the All Blacks responded positively and won the game 9–29.Following the final of the 2011 World Cup, the French national team was fined by the IRB for marching to within 10 metres of their All Black opponents during the performance of the haka. To many, this has been viewed as an insult from the IRB. Use by other teams. See also:Other New Zealand sports teams have similarly performed the haka before a match.
The tradition of performing a haka before every test match is just as strong with the Kiwis, the, performing it before every game. Traditionally they performed the 'Ka Mate' haka, but starting at the they perform a team-specific haka called 'Te Iwi Kiwi'.
It is also performed by the. The have performed the 'Timatanga' haka since 2001. In the documentary, the New Zealand paralympic rugby team can be seen performing a modified version of the haka.When hosted the All Blacks at, Limerick in November 2008, the four New Zealand players in the Munster team performed their own haka prior to the All Blacks.At the opening parade of the in Manchester, the New Zealand teamstopped in front of the and performed a haka.New Zealand teams have attracted some criticism for performing the haka,on occasions such as winning a swim relay bronze medal.In 2009, did their haka before their ice hockey match against Australia. The performed the dance prior to its games in the 2014 FIBA tournament, including a contest against the United States, where video of the dance was widely circulated and sparked discussion.The, the (field) hockey team, also perform a haka.The high-profile of the All Blacks, and their use of the haka has led other Pacific teams to use similar dances from their own cultures, such as the,.
Other teams from the Pacific and elsewhere however have performed the ' or ' haka. For instance, the 'Kapa o Pango' haka was used by the in 2006, before they created their own war dance, the 'Haʻa', in the with original movements.See also., Jon Stokes, 17 Sep 2005, NZ Herald.
Taonga, New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage Te Manatu. Www.teara.govt.nz. Jackson, SJ; Hokowhitu, B (2002). 'Sport, Tribes, and Technology: The New Zealand All Blacks Haka and the Politics of Identity'. Journal of Sport and Social Issues. 26 (2): 125–139. Ko Nga Moteatea, 1853.
30 November 2015., 17 July 1903, p.7., 19 July 1903, at., 30 July 1903). The Triumphant Tour!: the All Blacks in England, Ireland and Wales, 1924–1925. This rugby treasure is mostly reprints of extensive newspaper reports of each match of the tour.
17 March 2012 at the. Archived from on 11 February 2007. Retrieved 25 May 2006. CS1 maint: Archived copy as title., March 1959, Rev. Tipi Kaa, Te Ao Hou The New World. Planet Rugby.
15 September 2007. Archived from on 11 October 2007. Retrieved 23 September 2007. Long, David (9 September 2007). Retrieved 23 September 2007. 15 November 2001. Retrieved 1 October 2010.
7 October 1999. Retrieved 23 September 2007.
Inverdale, John (14 November 2002). Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 29 October 2012.
International Herald Tribune. 25 November 2006. Retrieved 11 July 2007. 26 November 2006.
Retrieved 18 March 2007. Godwin, Hugh (27 November 2006). The Independent. Archived from on 27 January 2007. Retrieved 18 March 2007. Bernard Lagan (8 July 2006).
London: Times Newspapers Ltd. Retrieved 22 February 2011. Taipei Times.
Retrieved 22 February 2011. Retrieved 10 February 2011. Archived from on 29 September 2007. Retrieved 28 July 2006. Archived from on 8 November 2007.
Retrieved 1 August 2006. Retrieved 2 August 2006. Thornley, Gerry (19 November 2008). Retrieved 19 November 2008. Smith, Giles (27 July 2002).
Retrieved 14 August 2010. 21 March 2006. Retrieved 14 August 2010. Woolf, Alexander (31 August 2002). Retrieved 22 December 2007. News, A. (3 September 2014).
ABC News.References. M. Pōmare, 'Ngāti Toarangatira', Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, updated 9 June 2006. URL:. ', New Zealand Rugby Museum.External links.
– Haka Sports site. – website New Zealand in History.