History of the Haka

The Haka dates back to ancient times, used in several times of war to attempt to intimidate the enemy, as well as when groups came together in peaceful celebrations to celebrate times of peace. The type of dance it is most related to is the Maori war dances. The Haka is used to signify the tribes strength, pride and unity. The movements in a Haka dance include such things as violent foot stomping, sticking the tongue out, and body slapping in rhythms as well as loud chanting to go with the dance. The words being chanted in the Haka vary depending on what the Haka is being used for.

The Haka war dance is one of the few dances that are based on only having men dancers, though customs are being modernized to include female dancers. The original Haka war dance was performed by a warrior chief named Te Rauparaha. The dance when performed during war was called the Peruperu. The Haka war dance was performed to impress the gods of Maori where if the onslaught from the enemy was survived then followed a jubilant dance of the escape. On the spiritual side, the feelings established by partaking in the Haka war dance are courage, joy, strength, honor, etc. The Haka is performed to spiritually link the Maori people to their ancestors and each other. This is why this dance is sacred and shouldn't be used for the wrong reasons.

BYU and the Haka:

The video above is showing us that the Haka is widely accepted by rugby. Players continue to demonstrate the spiritual significance of the Haka as a pre-game ritual.