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

Saying he was "really scared" about the next part of his presentation, Bunting stripped to his waist and performed a full-throated haka to his team.

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Their promotional video shows Māori performing a traditional poi dance and the haka, a ceremonial war dance, as project leaders laud the “complete partnership” between Māori and Colossal Biosciences.

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New Zealand's parliament has voted to suspend three Māori MPs for their protest haka during a sitting last year.

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The bill that sparked the protest haka sought to redefine the country's founding treaty and has since been voted down.

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Last November, a video of the trio performing the haka - a chanting dance of defiance sometimes performed at sports events and graduation ceremonies in New Zealand - went viral and drew global attention.

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