I recently reconnected with a friend of mine who’s currently working for the WHO in Geneva. Check her blog out here. She was telling me while she’s been in Europe, she’s grown an interest to the sports rugby and football (or soccer to those from North America). She was telling me that she was watching a match with the New Zealand All Blacks and prior to the game, she saw them do this ritual dance called the “Haka”. She was instantly captivated by the ritual and could see how intimidating they could be.

I remember my first time watching it, I even felt the adreneline pumping in my veins as a spectator. It looked to be a cross between a dance ritual and a war chant…which definitely seems appropriate for a battle on the rugby field. I was curious about the history and origin of the dance so I did a little research. Apparently, the Haka is traditional dance of the Maori, an indigenous people from New Zealand. The most famous version of the Haka that the All Blacks use is the “Ka Mate”, which was created as to defeat the evil plans of their enemies. This Haka was said to have originated when a clan chief was hiding from his enemies by digging a hole underneath the skirt of a woman to hide from his enemies. However, he was discovered, not by his enemies but by one of his allies. To show his appreciation, he performed the Haka with the translated words,

“It is death, it is death: it is life, it is life; this is the man who enabled me to live as I climb up step by step toward sunlight.”

It has then been adopted by the All Blacks and is a respected tradition in the Rugby world. However, some New Zealand companies have created parodies of the “Ka Mate” Haka:

I definitely see the Haka as a great tool to initimidate the opponent as well as a beautiful piece of art. However, if I was on the receiving end of the Haka, I’d probably run the other direction…lol.

-Stephen