Time has come to teach the world about us

That’s quite enough.

There have been several incidents where haka has been mocked in the professional sporting world, and it’s time we – as proud Kiwis – not only stand up for ourselves but also educate the world about our rich culture and heritage.

Haka is not just something performed by All Blacks at rugby games.

Many would attribute haka to being a ‘war dance’, but it is more nuanced than that.

People seem to forget – or simply don’t know – that haka is a traditional Māori dance and is usually performed during pōwhiri and at special events such as tangihanga, weddings and celebrations.

The Spanish women’s football team were forced to apologise after a video went viral online of them performing a mock haka – their reasoning was that they didn’t understand the cultural significance of the dance.

This is surprising, considering the haka was first performed by a New Zealand sports team, ‘The Natives’, during a rugby tour of Britain and Australia in 1888 and by the All Blacks since 1905.

Haka at All Blacks games saw a rebirth of sorts in 1987 when Wayne Shelford and Hika Reid introduced it to home games and ensured it was performed with the precision and intensity it deserved.

Corks RedFM recently posted a video [which has since been removed, without apology] that went viral of an ‘Irish Haka’ where the participants had drawn crude Tā Moko on their faces with marker, tied neck ties around their foreheads and were waving around a wooden spoon – seemingly to represent Aaron Smith’s hoe [waka oar – pronounced haw-eh].

Perhaps it’s important to note that Ireland lost to the All Blacks a few days later in a match that saw the Irish out of the Rugby World Cup.

The Ka Mate haka we know and love is estimated to be more than 200 years old, having been devised in 1820 by Ngāti Toa Rangatira Te Rauparaha.

In 2005, a new haka was created for the All Blacks [Kapa o Pango], but even this caused controversy due to the gesture of a thumb drawn across the throat, which some interpreted as a ‘throat-slitting’ gesture.

This gesture was later defined as ‘drawing the breath of life into the heart and lungs’ – also known as ‘hauora’.

There have been arguments to dismiss the haka altogether, with some critics claiming it is an unnecessary addition to professional sporting occasions.

Irish critic Ewan McKenna has been vocal in his dislike of the haka and in 2019 called it a marketing ploy and “insulting to Māori” having Pākehā participating and, at times, leading.

While traditionally, haka would be performed by tāngata whenua and manuhiri [visitors] of another iwi or hapū, Māori culture and customs also recognise and respect haukāinga [people who have made somewhere their home].

Former Wallabies captain John Eales admitted in 2017 that his biggest regret during his professional rugby career was turning his back on the haka in the 1996 Bledisloe Cup – a move that sparked outrage from Kiwi and Australians alike.

Eales has since apologised and taken a ‘redemption tour’ of New Zealand to learn about Māori culture and customs.

If we are to continue taking our customs and cultural practices overseas, then it must be worth finding a way to educate the world about what those customs mean.