Haka in popular culture
Encyclopedia
The haka
is a traditional Māori dance form. The use of haka in popular culture is a growing phenomenon, originally from New Zealand
. Traditionally, haka were used only in Māori cultural contexts, but today haka are used in a wide range of public occasions to impart a sense of importance of the event.
have had a tradition of performing a haka before games (see Haka of the All Blacks
). This has become the most widely known use of the haka, but several other New Zealand sports teams now perform the haka before commencing a game. These include rugby league
(the Kiwis
), Australian rules football
(the Falcons), basketball
(Tall Blacks), wheelchair rugby (Wheel Blacks) teams and Ice Hockey
(Ice Blacks)
In addition to this planned, formalised usage, teams and supporters now often perform impromptu haka as a celebration or encouragement. At the Sydney Olympics in 2000 these uses of the haka were numerous enough to draw some negative comment.
teams of University of Hawaii
and Trinity High School
in Euless, Texas
as well as the Highland Rugby Team, and Utah. Both the Coventry Jets
and the London Olympians
, British American Football teams, have, on ocassions, performed the haka before their games. Both squads have had a large number of Polynesian players over the past 5 years.
Haka
Haka is a traditional ancestral war cry, dance or challenge from the Māori people of New Zealand. It is a posture dance performed by a group, with vigorous movements and stamping of the feet with rhythmically shouted accompaniment...
is a traditional Māori dance form. The use of haka in popular culture is a growing phenomenon, originally from New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. Traditionally, haka were used only in Māori cultural contexts, but today haka are used in a wide range of public occasions to impart a sense of importance of the event.
New Zealand sports teams
For over 100 years the All BlacksAll Blacks
The New Zealand men's national rugby union team, known as the All Blacks, represent New Zealand in what is regarded as its national sport....
have had a tradition of performing a haka before games (see Haka of the All Blacks
Haka of the All Blacks
The Haka is a traditional Maori war dance from New Zealand. There are thousands of Haka that are performed by various tribes and cultural groups throughout New Zealand. The best known Haka of them all is called "Ka Mate". It has been performed by countless New Zealand teams both locally and...
). This has become the most widely known use of the haka, but several other New Zealand sports teams now perform the haka before commencing a game. These include rugby league
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
(the Kiwis
New Zealand national rugby league team
The New Zealand national rugby league team has represented New Zealand in rugby league football since intercontinental competition began for the sport in 1907. Administered by the New Zealand Rugby League, they are commonly known as the Kiwis, after the native bird of that name...
), Australian rules football
Australian rules football
Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
(the Falcons), basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
(Tall Blacks), wheelchair rugby (Wheel Blacks) teams and Ice Hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
(Ice Blacks)
In addition to this planned, formalised usage, teams and supporters now often perform impromptu haka as a celebration or encouragement. At the Sydney Olympics in 2000 these uses of the haka were numerous enough to draw some negative comment.
Use by non-New Zealand sports teams
A number of sports teams outside of New Zealand have adopted the haka, most notably the American footballAmerican football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
teams of University of Hawaii
Hawaii Warriors football
The Hawaii Warriors football team represents the University of Hawaii at Mānoa in NCAA Division I FBS college football. The team, which is currently coached by Greg McMackin, is part of the Western Athletic Conference until 2012, when the team joins the Mountain West Conference.The Hawaii Warriors...
and Trinity High School
Trinity High School (Euless, Texas)
Trinity High School is a public high school in Euless, Texas. It administers grade levels 10–12 and is a part of the Hurst-Euless-Bedford Independent School District....
in Euless, Texas
Euless, Texas
Euless, known as "Tree City USA," is a city in Tarrant County, Texas, United States, and a suburb of Fort Worth. Euless is part of the Mid-Cities between Dallas and Fort Worth...
as well as the Highland Rugby Team, and Utah. Both the Coventry Jets
Coventry Jets
The Coventry Jets are an American football team based in Coventry, England and were the 2008 National Champions. They currently play in the BAFA Community Leagues Premier division. The Jets have played their home games at a number of venues in Coventry, including the Butts Park Arena, which is home...
and the London Olympians
London Olympians
The London Olympians is a British amateur American football team, based in Crystal Palace, London. They are the United Kingdom's most successful amateur American football club...
, British American Football teams, have, on ocassions, performed the haka before their games. Both squads have had a large number of Polynesian players over the past 5 years.
Military
- New Zealand Army: The New Zealand ArmyNew Zealand ArmyThe New Zealand Army , is the land component of the New Zealand Defence Force and comprises around 4,500 Regular Force personnel, 2,000 Territorial Force personnel and 500 civilians. Formerly the New Zealand Military Forces, the current name was adopted around 1946...
has a haka composed specifically for them, Tu Taua a Tumatauenga.
Schools
- A large proportion of New Zealand schools have kapa hakaKapa hakaThe term Kapa haka is commonly known in Aotearoa as 'Maori Performing Arts' or the 'cultural dance' of Maori people...
groups, and several have their own designated school haka http://www.npbhs.school.nz/sportculture/haka.phphttp://rotoruaboyshigh.school.nz/news/6news57.pdf, including at least one all-girls school http://www.rangiruru.school.nz/studentcommunity.shtml. - Trinity Grammar School, in New South Wales, is an Australian school with their own haka.
- Liberty High SchoolLiberty High School (Henderson, Nevada)Liberty High School is a high school in Henderson, Nevada. It is part of the Clark County School District. Before the school opened, prospective students chose the name "Liberty" and the school mascot "The Patriot" through a survey mailed to their homes. Liberty's team name is the Patriots...
, in Las Vegas Nevada, is an American school with its own specific haka, created by the Taeao family..
- Armwood High SchoolArmwood High SchoolArmwood High School, located in Seffner, Florida, on U.S. Highway 92 opened in August 1984. The school is named after Blanche Armwood, a longtime Tampa resident, educator and activist. The school's mascot is the Hawk. The principal is Mike Ippolito.-Athletics:...
, in Seffner, Florida has adopted the haka. Coach Sean Callahan decided to adopt the haka for the beginning of every Armwood High School game to show their courage, unity, and desire to win another state championship. Armwood's haka is in English to let the other teams know they're "the mighty Hawks". - Mesa High SchoolMesa High School (Mesa, Arizona)Mesa High School is a public high school in Mesa, Arizona, United States. Mesa High School currently accommodates grades 9-12 as part of Mesa Public Schools.- History :...
's football team, in Mesa, ArizonaMesa, ArizonaAccording to the 2010 Census, the racial composition of Mesa was as follows:* White: 77.1% * Hispanic or Latino : 26.54%* Black or African American: 3.5%* Two or more races: 3.4%* Native American: 2.4%...
, performs their own haka before every football game and at sports assemblies. - The University of Arizona football team performs a haka before every home game.
- Hunter High SchoolHunter High SchoolHunter High School is a large public high school located at 4200 South 5600 West West Valley City, Utah. It was opened in 1990 with its first graduating class graduating in 1991...
, American Fork High SchoolAmerican Fork High SchoolAmerican Fork High School is a public high school in American Fork, Utah. Its mascot is the Caveman, chosen as a tribute to Timpanogos Cave. Other High Schools in the United States with the Caveman as their mascot include Cave City High School in northern Arkansas, Grants Pass High School in...
, and Bingham High SchoolBingham High SchoolBingham High School, located in the Jordan School District, is one of the oldest schools in Utah. It celebrated its centennial on September 9, 2008. It serves 2,495 students in South Jordan.-Student Government History:...
, all located in UtahUtahUtah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
, each perform the haka at their football games. - The Brigham Young University BYU Cougars football team performs the haka before every game, due to the high number of Polynesian players that have played for the Cougars.
- Victoria InstitutionVictoria InstitutionVictoria Institution is a premier secondary school for boys and one of the oldest schools in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The school is widely known as V.I. and a student of Victoria Institution bears the name Victorian....
, Kuala Lumpur - Euless Trinity High School, Euless, TexasEuless, TexasEuless, known as "Tree City USA," is a city in Tarrant County, Texas, United States, and a suburb of Fort Worth. Euless is part of the Mid-Cities between Dallas and Fort Worth...
, a TexasTexasTexas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
Class 5A powerhouse routinely performs a hakaHakaHaka is a traditional ancestral war cry, dance or challenge from the Māori people of New Zealand. It is a posture dance performed by a group, with vigorous movements and stamping of the feet with rhythmically shouted accompaniment...
before and after every game. There is a large southern pacific community in the Euless area. - Walter Hines Page High SchoolWalter Hines Page High SchoolWalter Hines Page Senior High School is a public secondary school in Greensboro, North Carolina commonly referred to as Page High School or simply Page. It runs on a traditional type schedule with the hours from 8:55-3:55...
's marching band performs the haka at the end of halftime during every football game as a challenge to the opposing band and football team.
Film
- British actor Jamie ForemanJamie ForemanJamie Foreman is an English actor best known for his roles as Duke in Layer Cake and Bill Sikes in Roman Polanski's Oliver Twist . He played opposite Ray Winstone and Kathy Burke in Gary Oldman's Nil by Mouth and also featured in Elizabeth , Gangster No. 1 and Sleepy Hollow...
performs the Haka briefly in order to intimidate a rival in the 2000 film Gangster No. 1Gangster No. 1Gangster No. 1 is a 2000 British crime film. It stars Malcolm McDowell, David Thewlis and Paul Bettany and was directed by Paul McGuigan.- Cast :*Malcolm McDowell as Gangster 55*David Thewlis as Freddie Mays*Paul Bettany as Young Gangster...
. - Pai performs a haka at a school performance in Whale Rider.
- In the film Once Were WarriorsOnce Were Warriors (film)Once Were Warriors is a 1994 film based on New Zealand author Alan Duff's bestselling 1990 first novel. The film tells the story of an urban Māori family, the Hekes, and their problems with poverty, alcoholism and domestic violence, mostly brought on by family patriarch Jake...
, tha character Boogie performs the haka while at a detainment center - A bonus feature on the Blu-ray release of Avatar shows the stunt team giving director James CameronJames CameronJames Francis Cameron is a Canadian-American film director, film producer, screenwriter, editor, environmentalist and inventor...
a haka performance - At the end of the film Wild Child, before the final lacrosse match, the Abbey Mount team performed a version of a Haka
- In InvictusInvictus (film)Invictus is a 2009 biographical sports drama film directed by Clint Eastwood starring Morgan Freeman and Matt Damon.The story is based on the John Carlin book Playing the Enemy: Nelson Mandela and the Game That Changed a Nation about the events in South Africa before and during the 1995 Rugby World...
, the All Blacks are featured performing the Haka before the Final1995 Rugby World Cup FinalThe 1995 Rugby World Cup Final, was the final match in the 1995 Rugby World Cup, played in South Africa.The match was played at Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg on 24 June 1995 between the host nation, the South African Springboks, and the New Zealand All Blacks...
. - In Forever StrongForever StrongForever Strong is a sports film directed by Ryan Little and written by David Pliler and released on September 26, 2008. The film stars Sean Faris, Gary Cole, Neal McDonough, Sean Astin, Penn Badgley and Arielle Kebbel. The film is about a troubled rugby union player who must play against the team...
, the Highland Rugby team performs the Haka and is a reoccurring theme throughout the film.
Other uses
- Haka in the Guinness Book of Records: Mentioned on page 88 of the Guinness Book of Records, where it states that 2,200 people performed the biggest haka in Federation Square, Melbourne, Australia, on 3 September 2005. It was run by Gene Elder and the New Zealand Victoria Business Group (NZVBG). The previous record was 800.
- In 1998, a British TV advert for National LotteryNational Lottery (United Kingdom)The National Lottery is the state-franchised national lottery in the United Kingdom and the Isle of Man.It is operated by Camelot Group, to whom the licence was granted in 1994, 2001 and again in 2007. The lottery is regulated by the National Lottery Commission, and was established by the then...
Instant scratch cards showed a team of bowlers perform the Haka against another team. - From 2002 until 2005, a BBC OneBBC OneBBC One is the flagship television channel of the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It was launched on 2 November 1936 as the BBC Television Service, and was the world's first regular television service with a high level of image resolution...
"Rhythm and Movement" ident showed a Maori rugby player and fourteen WelshWalesWales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
rugby players performing a haka. - A recent commercial for William Lawson's Scotch whisky featured a rugby team (presumably the All Blacks) performing a haka to intimidate a kilted Scottish team. The Scots "answered" the haka by flashingIndecent exposureIndecent exposure is the deliberate exposure in public or in view of the general public by a person of a portion or portions of his or her body, in circumstances where the exposure is contrary to local moral or other standards of appropriate behavior. Indecent exposure laws vary in different...
the opposing team. - Due to a resemblance of a certain hand movement performed in haka to bent elbow, popular TurkishTurkeyTurkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
TV presenter Metin Uca used footage from a haka performance for his social and political criticism targeted at some people and establishments, with a catch phrase: "Here, we're sending a haka dance to...." - In the comic strip Get FuzzyGet FuzzyGet Fuzzy is an American daily comic strip written and drawn by Darby Conley. The strip features the adventures of Boston advertising executive Rob Wilco and his two anthropomorphic pets: dog Satchel Pooch and cat Bucky Katt. Get Fuzzy has been published by United Feature Syndicate since September...
, Bucky Katt on one occasion does the traditional Ka MateKa Mate"Ka Mate" is a Māori haka composed by Te Rauparaha, war leader of the Ngāti Toa tribe of the North Island of New Zealand.-The creation and composition of Ka Mate:...
haka, to which his roommates Rob and Satchel react by agreeing to stay out of his way. Comic creator Darby ConleyDarby ConleyDarby Conley is an American cartoonist best known for the popular comic strip Get Fuzzy.-Background:Conley was born in Concord, Massachusetts in 1970, and grew up in Knoxville, Tennessee....
is a rugby fan and has referenced the All Blacks in other strips. However, Bucky's version is not the same version as the one the All Blacks use. - In the Domus MundiDomus MundiDomus Mundi is the first album by Austrian symphonic death metal band Hollenthon, released by Napalm Records in 1999. Music by Martin Schirenc, lyrics by Elena Schirenc.-Track listing:All tracks by Hollenthon# "Enrapture - Hinc Illae Lacrimae" - 5:33...
song "Reprisal (Malis Avibus)" by the Austrian black metal band HollenthonHollenthonHollenthon is a melodic death metal band from Austria. The band includes many symphonic elements in their work, while their earlier material contains some black metal influence.-History:... - In the Doctor Who episode "The Sontaran StratagemThe Sontaran Stratagem"The Sontaran Stratagem" is the fourth episode of the fourth series of British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It was broadcast on BBC One on 26 April 2008...
", the Sontarans perform a ritual quite similar to a haka - In the introduction to MTV's 2009 edition of Real/World Road Rules Challenge: The Duel II, filmed in New Zealand, the contestants perform a haka.
- In the reality TV Show Biggest Loser, Season 7The Biggest Loser: Couples 2The Biggest Loser: Couples 2 is the seventh season of the NBC reality television series The Biggest Loser. The season premiered on January 6, 2009, with eleven overweight couples competing for a cash prize of $250,000. Alison Sweeney is featured as the host, with trainers Bob Harper and Jillian...
, Sione and Philipe, two Tongan contestants, perform the haka on a number of occasions throughout the season, including the season finale. - On the Red Faces segment of Australian TV show Hey Hey It's SaturdayHey Hey It's SaturdayHey Hey It's Saturday was a long-running variety television program on Australian television. It initially ran for 27 years , debuting on the Nine Network on 9 October 1971 and broadcasting its last episode on 20 November 1999. Its host throughout its entire run was Daryl Somers, who would later...
in 1994, six men performed the nursery rhymeNursery rhymeThe term nursery rhyme is used for "traditional" poems for young children in Britain and many other countries, but usage only dates from the 19th century and in North America the older ‘Mother Goose Rhymes’ is still often used.-Lullabies:...
Old McDonald in the style of the Haka. This was the first act in Red Faces history to score a perfect score of 30. - The "Shaolin Monk vs. Māori Warrior" episode of the American TV series Deadliest WarriorDeadliest WarriorDeadliest Warrior is a television program in which information on historical or modern warriors and their weapons are used to determine which of them is the "deadliest" based upon tests performed during each episode...
features excerpts of the Ka Mate haka performed by the members of the Māori team during weapons testing and by various reenactors. - On the June 24, 2011 edition of WWE SmackDown, tag team The UsosThe UsosThe Usos are a professional wrestling tag team consisting of twin brothers Jimmy and Jey Uso. The Usos appear in WWE, competing on the SmackDown brand. The pair were previously managed by Tamina...
performed a siva tau as part of their entrance.
External links
- http://photo.byu.edu:16080/markImages/Multimedia/BYUvsUNM/ - Multimedia slideshow of the 2006 #23 BYU vs. UNM football game, including a performance of the "Ka Mate" haka prior to the game
- Story about haka at Texas high school, from The World radio program