Performing a Haka

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The Māori are the indigenous Polynesian people of mainland New Zealand (Aotearoa).

Cultural performance of waiata (song), haka (dance), tauparapara (chants) and mōteatea (poetry) are used by Māori to express and pass on knowledge and understanding about history, communities, and relationships. Since 1972 there has been a regular national kapa haka competition, the Te Matatini National Festival, organised by the Aotearoa Traditional Māori Performing Arts Society. The Haka is used to make a statement against political matters, issues in Maori society, and barriers and challenges that Maori face today. It is also known as an expression of New Zealand identity.

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When a Māori girl comes of age she participates in a transformative ceremony that leaves her with a sacred chin tattoo called a moko kauae, which is seen as "a physical manifestation of their true reality". They're also seen as a sign of status and pride among the tribe, and a living testament to a Māori woman's grit, but until recently this ancient tradition had all but disappeared. Things started to change in the 1980s, with a push to revive Māori language and culture, and in recent years there has been a revival in the ancient practice among both elders and young Māori.

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Why do Māori make faces during haka?

Known as a ‘war challenge’ or ‘war cry’ in Māori culture, the haka was traditionally performed by men before going to war. The aggressive facial expressions were meant to scare the opponents, while the cry itself was to lift their own morale and call on God for help to win.


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Women and the Haka

Thousands of haka exist in Māori culture, some of which were written expressly for women; Tipiwai, the practice is often identified with male warriors as a pre-battle ritual, a display of masculinity. Yet, some hakas are “actually about the power of women.”

Haka do differ between men and women. Rather than assume a wide, low stance with bent knees, women perform haka in a more upright, neutral position with their feet roughly shoulder-width apart. Facial expressions, or pūkana, also differ: While big, bulging eyes are customary for performers of both sexes, men also stick out their tongues while women traditionally purse their lips and turn down the sides of their mouths in a sort of frown.