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

By: Nate NZ

Nate NZ — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 08:10:30 +0000

I learnt haka (dance) and waiata (song) because my Dad’s rugby club had it’s clubrooms based on a marae. Part of the deal was that the rugby club would help out as labour with preparing the long tables and the food.
They also got called in to add to the numbers in the welcoming choir that had to sing a song after each speech. The songs were nice but the hakas are always the most compelling
You’ll never feel more bulletproof than when you are a skinny 9 year old surrounded by a rugby team.

The thing about the haka is that if you are facing it, and the hala is directed at you, the the people doing the haka think you are special. That’s trily what it means.
Often times you’ll see haka done as a sign of celebration.
The subtext of Ka Mate, the famous All Blacks rugby haka is ‘ you are such a strong and worthy opponent , that i am prepared to be smashed within an inch of my life by you … but you won’t break me’ … So its actually a mark of respect to the opposition and the preparation they have put in.

Its used in welcomes to show exuberance that you are here, .. No one is getting beaten to within an inch of anything ;-)

Sorry i rambled, glad that those who have experienced it enjoyed it.

By: Chuckie

Chuckie — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 10:46:41 +0000

My son’s High School football team (in Colorado) was given an unsportsmanlike penalty for taunting when they did this dance before their games.

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 (IÂ´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 fianceÂ´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!