In Praise of the Haka

One night, while watching the evening news, I witnessed a remarkable sight. In Euless, Texas, before a game, the Trinity High School Trojans football team was performing a haka, an ancient Maori ritual dance used to proclaim strength before battle. The dance was brought to Euless by Tongan immigrants who settled in the area. The team stomped their feet, slapped themselves on the sides thighs and chest, made fierce expressions and yelled boisterously, "Ka Mate! Ka Mate! Ka Ora!" (We're going to die! We're going to die! We're going to live!). An ancient Maori battle, when a chieftain was saved by a legendary hairy man, was briefly re-enacted. The crowd roared its approval, and the Trojans, having aroused their warrior spirits, were ready for battle.


This haka is called a ‘peruperu’, used to call the god of war and frighten the enemy. The Maori warriors would perform the dance naked, except for the flax belts they would wear. A haka had to be performed in unison, or the war god would be angry with the tribe. The tribe would then commence fighting, intending to kill all members of the enemy tribe, in order to prevent revenge.


The haka was adopted by several rugby clubs in New Zealand and is associated with New Zealand’s famous All Blacks rugby team, who have performed hakas before matches for over 100 years. Their chant is:
"We are the All Blacks, of the New Zealand people."
"We stand on this field arrayed for battle."
"At our backs we feel the might of tradition wrought by those who have gone before."
"Over our hearts we bear the Silver Fern, emblem of Mana to die for."
"This challenge is now thrown out to you. Take it if you dare for we will not withhold ourselves this day and the faint of heart will surely be lost."


But, the haka is not exclusively a war dance, and not all hakas are performed exclusively by men; they are also performed by women and children. Hakas are also performed to greet guests and celebrate great achievements or occasions. The haka was described by New Zealander Alan Armstrong as, “A composition played by many instruments. Hands, feet, legs, body, voice, tongue, and eyes all play their part in blending together to convey in their fullness the challenge, welcome, exultation, defiance or contempt of the words. It is disciplined, yet emotional. More than any other aspect of Maori culture, this complex dance is an expression of the passion, vigour and identity of the race. It is at its best, truly, a message of the soul expressed by words and posture".


The Trojans would emerge from battle, bloodied and battered, but happy and victorious. I cannot help but contrast the courage and fierce commitment of these young men with the banality of daily life, spent at a job or in front of a television, accumulating material wealth but living without passion or excitement. I am pleased to see the haka come to America. In these times, a little warrior spirit may be good.