haka

[hah-kah]

noun

1. a ceremonial Maori war dance that involves chanting.

2. a similar performance by a sports team, especially before a Rugby match in New Zealand.

haka

/ ˈhɑːkə /

noun

1. a Māori war chant accompanied by gestures

2. a similar performance by a rugby team

Word History and Origins

Origin of haka¹

First recorded in 1830–40; from Maori; akin to Tongan haka “hand gestures performed in a song,” Hawaiian ha‘a, Samoan sa‘a “dance,” from assumed Proto-Polynesian saka

Word History and Origins

Origin of haka¹

Māori

Example Sentences

New Zealand's traditional haka followed under the Principality Stadium spotlight before Scottish referee Hollie Davidson made history, when she became the first woman to take charge of an All Blacks match and a Welsh men's game at the Principality Stadium.

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Jamie George was pleased to have played a part in England's defiant reply to the haka but was even happier to beat New Zealand 33-19 at Twickenham in perhaps the team's best performance under coach Steve Borthwick.

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George, himself a former England skipper, persuaded Borthwick and current skipper Maro Itoje it was worth revisiting the response to the haka england employed in a 2019 World Cup semi-final win in Japan.

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With the haka and all that happening, it's always a cracker.

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But with Finn Russell, Sione Tuipulotu, and other cavalry to come back into their side, too, Scotland will face the Haka next week with more confidence of a win than ever before.

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