Comments on: The Most Frightening Dance You’ll Ever See

By: liz

liz — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 12:52:27 +0000

i’m not a rugby fan but whenever the all blacks play the wallabies, i go out of my way to catch a glimpse of the haka because it is absolutely mesmerising.

By: pc

pc — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 07:28:30 +0000

click my name or youtube gingerbread haka for an interesting interpretation..

By: Nurse Stevens

Nurse Stevens — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 07:28:01 +0000

There is a pretty interesting You Tube video out there of some US soldiers doing the Haka out in the desert. Just thought Id share.

By: Diane

Diane — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 05:05:16 +0000

Saw this dance in NZ on a People-to-People trip and have a picture of one of the dancers with me. It was amazing. They originally intended to intimidate the opponent in battle with the face. We also had to rub noses with a native upon disembarking from the bus. Fascinating culture.

By: dangermouse

dangermouse — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 02:22:33 +0000

Great post, I’m a kiwi but I really didn’t know much about the history of the haka. It also explains the significance of Sir Apirana Ngata on our $50 note. Who knew?

Many of the other male national sports teams now do the haka before international games too (or afterwards, in celebration of a win) – it’s always entertaining to compare the men’s field hockey team’s haka with the All Blacks’ haka – somehow little weedy white guys just don’t have the same intimidating effect as a bunch of burly rugby players.

By: Cait

Cait — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 23:14:47 +0000

I love the haka! Kids her in NZ can do it from the time they’re about 6 or so. My brother and I were never taught it, we just picked up by watching the rugby games.

Though, when people (like the Universities in the States) do the Haka for a football game without understanding the cultural importances it really annoys me (and I’m sure lot’s of other Kiwis)

Great post!

By: GTT

GTT — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 20:28:58 +0000

I just “discovered” rugby a few months ago (I´m not a fan of American football either). I was completely baffled by the strange dance these players were perfoming until my fiance told me that it was the haka and explained what it meant. I found it fascinating.

Not long after, one of my fiance´s friends came from New Zealand and happily (if drunkenly) gave us a live performance of the dance. It was VERY cool.

By: Wendy

Wendy — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 17:17:41 +0000

The Haka is one of the most amazing, intimidating things I have ever seen before a rugby game. It is a great tradition and I love it!

By: Bekah

Bekah — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 16:11:23 +0000

Great article!
You can also see actual Maori performing the Haka on one of the bonus dvds from the Lord of the Rings boxed set. Peter Jackson used a lot of Maori extras, especially as Uruk Hai, and they did the dance as a tribute to Viggo Mortenson, who apparently REALLY earned their respect during filming. Pretty cool…

By: Lauren

Lauren — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 15:38:15 +0000

I just got back from New Zealand a few days ago and saw this dance performed by Maoris (random that this was posted now). I also watched an All Blacks game on TV while I was there and saw them do it (oddly enough, I’m wearing an All Blacks sweatshirt right now). The dance really is frightening when watched. It is very intense, but the history behind it is interesting.