Haka Maori. A war cry in the form of a dance.
These manifestations always have a ritualistic background and involve, in addition to dance, music, especially percussion, and words usually organized with a poetic structure. The verses of a haka often describe adventures and epics of ancestors and events in the history of the tribe.
Maori indigenous man overcome by the force of the haka.
In New Zealand, the haka is a fierce display of tribal pride, strength, and unity. The actions include violent stomping, sticking out the tongue and extending it as far as possible, and rhythmic slapping of the body to accompany a chant performed at full volume, if not shouted.
By: Luis Pellegrini
Haka is something for testosterone-fueled men. Even when performed by women. Anyone who has seen the New Zealand All Blacks enter the field before a rugby match will surely have noticed the frightening ritual of shouts, gestures, and grimaces performed by the players. They are performing a haka, a very ancient type of war dance, invented by the Maori tribe, and traditionally used mainly on battlefields, facing enemy forces. But not always: hakas are also performed on various other occasions, including when tribal groups gather to celebrate something peacefully.
For the Maori people of New Zealand, the haka is an explicit demonstration of manly courage.
These performances always have a ritualistic basis and involve, in addition to dance, music, especially percussion, and words usually organized with a poetic structure. The verses of a haka often describe adventures and epics of ancestors and events in the tribe's history.
Maori indigenous person participating in a haka.
Today, hakas are still used during Māori ceremonies and in many celebrations to honor guests of honor and demonstrate the importance of the occasion. They are also used to challenge opponents in the field of sports. The practice has become a true proclamation of the warrior spirit of New Zealand, with all its attributes of honor, glory, courage, dignity, physical strength, and spiritual power.
Old drawing showing a haka
Like samba in Brazil
Deeply rooted in the soul of the Maori, the haka is part of the very core of their culture. It reflects a history rich in legends, mythology, and folklore. Like samba for Brazil, it can be said that New Zealand was formed and developed immersed in haka from the first encounters between the Maori and the first European explorers, missionaries, and colonizers. This practice quickly became a way of affirming Maori identity and a driving force for their survival.
Recent tradition suggests that the haka is a masculine activity, exclusively the domain of men, but legends tell a different story. In fact, analysis of the history and content of the most famous haka, the "Ka mate," demonstrates that it actually discusses the power of female sensuality. This is an interesting and curious relationship from the point of view of deep individual and social psychology: For the Maori, virile power arises from female sensuality...
The All Blacks team enters the field performing a haka.
In Maori tradition, the haka is actually a divine manifestation. It first appeared in the dimension where the gods live and act, and from there it was brought to the human dimension. According to legend, the first time the haka was performed in our world was when the indigenous chief Tinirau sought revenge for the death of a whale. He sent a group of female hunters to find the one responsible for the animal's death, an old tohunga, which in the Maori language means "a very wise man." His name was Kae, but the women did not know him. They only knew that he had crooked and overlapping teeth. When the women arrived at Kae's village, they performed the haka, intending to force the men to smile and thus discover Kae's identity. Thanks to the stratagem, Kae could not resist the charm and smiled, showing his teeth. He was then captured and taken to Tinirau's village, where he was killed.
Each gesture performed in the haka has a meaning that New Zealanders can understand.
European explorers Abel Tasman and James Cook were the first to observe the Maori and report on their cultural practices. These early contacts were characterized by misunderstandings and misinterpretations that led to much violence and death.
At the beginning of a haka, the leader conducting the ritual shouts an inciting refrain to his companions. The words are used not only to spur the warriors into battle, but also to remind them of the correct behavior that must be maintained during it. The more aggressive, fierce, and brutal the haka, the more it will encourage the group and intimidate the opponent.
The Maori use tattoos all over their bodies, especially on their faces and arms.
The two videos below are typical examples of haka. The second one, however, goes far beyond a simple manifestation of a warrior spirit. It shows an entire battalion of New Zealand soldiers (a mix of the various ethnicities that make up the country's population) performing a haka in honor of a comrade killed in combat. It's impossible not to be moved by the power of the event, which proves the strong tribal spirit that permeates that population.
Video 1 shows the haka “Ka Mate”, with its words in the Maori language:
Video 2: Haka in homage to a comrade killed in combat.
This video shows soldiers from a New Zealand Army infantry battalion performing a "Haka" in recognition of the life and deeds of a comrade who died in combat and is to be buried. It is a moving farewell performed by his brothers in arms before the funeral procession enters the cemetery.