What the heck is "haka"?

Question

I mean my friend is obsessed in rugby and he is also obsessed about this little ritual dance called "haka." care to explain? thanks.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=kd0kDxP04eI&feature=related

Answer 1

haka is the prewar dance of the native new zealand people or the 'maori' its a spine tingling experince if you watch it and it freaks the #%@$ out of the other team. the all blacks perform it before each international match

Leader

               KA MATE!                  KA MATE!

               We're going to die!           We're going to die!  

               We were at war                                  

Chorus

               KA ORA,                   KA ORA!

               We're going to live!          We're going to live!

               But now there is peace.                              

Leader

               KA MATE!                  KA MATE!

               We're going to die!           We're going to die!  

               We thought we were all going to die

Chorus

               KA ORA,                   KA ORA!

               We're going to live!          We're going to live!

               but now we are safe

All together

               TENEI  TE  TANGATA        PU'RU-HURU

               This is the man,              so hairy

               because our leader,            so strong and masculine,

               NA'A  NEI  TIKI           MAI  WHAKA-WHITI  TE ...

               who fetched,                  and made shine the

               has unified us and brought back the sunny days of

           ... RA!  UPANE!         KA  UPANE!

               sun!    Together!             All together ... !

              peace.    We are all working in harmony, side by side,

               A UPANE!        KA UPANE!

               Together!                     All together ... !

               moving in unison like the hairs on our chief's legs

               WHITI TE RA!

               To sun shines!

                    to prolong these sunny days of peace.

                HI!!!!!!!

thats the current one.

http://folksong.org.nz/ka_mate/

oh and just coz i hate people getting it wrong....its not 'maorian' its maori. and its not a 'tribe' its a group of people. saying the maori is all one tribe is like saying the native american indians are all one tribe or like saying the native australians aborigines are all one tribe. there are many different tribes within the maori people....

Answer 2

The Haka is a traditional Maori or Pacific Island war dance.

The Haka is most commonly performed before or after a sporting event with some signifigance.

Hakas have been around for a LONG time and represent the country or area in which the person or group performing the haka is from.

Hope i helped!

Answer 3

The All Blacks think it's, choice eh bro.

Didn't help them in the World Cup.

Answer 4

the dance the people on the pacific island do

its about respecting your opponent

Answer 5

Actually, more specifically, the haka is a Maorian war dance native to the Maori tribe of New Zealand. The rugby team, the New Zealana All Blacks perform the haka before each match.

i happen to be wearing a haka shirt right now. on the back, there's the words and the moves. i'd right it down but. i'm not.

Answer 6

Haka is very much tribal. But we can certainly talk about Maoridom - common threads or cultural norms and expectations that weave through all tribes. Haka are performed by many different teams and across many codes. All good rugby schools will have their own haka and perform it with pride on appropriate  occasions.

And yeah, it is a sign of respect, or a challenge, basically good manners saying that "we are ready, so be warned because we are coming for you."

Less than 200 years ago, haka were performed for real on the battlefield in New Zealand during the Maori land wars. Also during the 2nd world war by New Zealand units. Internationally, groups of people from England, France, the Netherlands, and maybe some American whalers would have also experienced haka on the battlefield before entering a killing ground and being slaughtered !

It is always emotive watching an England / New Zealand test, because the English more than any other nation have certainly seen haka performed for real, in times of war durring the 1800s. And just like on the rugby pitch, England only ever got the upper hand on rare occasion.

Answer 7

"the haka" is a maori war dance that the New Zealand rugby team do at the start of their matchs to try and intimidate their opponents. The pacific islands also have their own haka.