Haka who ha: How do we keep the mana and integrity of the haka at heart – Opinion

THREE KEY FACTS ABOUT THE HAKA:
Levi Fox (Ngāti Porou Tūwharetoa) has worked in mental health and social work practice across Australia and Aotearoa. His PhD research focused on understanding the role of indigenous spirituality and ancestral healing frameworks. He is an academic at Gold Coast Griffith University.
Dion Enari is a senior lecturer in sport leadership and management at Auckland University of Technology. He has a PhD in Fa’asamoa and holds the ali’i tulafale title Lefaoali’i from Lepa, Samoa.
OPINION:
Is haka overdone?
Over 6000 – good on you guys – took part in the world’s largest haka in Eden Park and reclaimed the Guinness World Record which was held by France. But are we overdoing it now? It seems any occasion, any moment, anywhere, there seems to be a haka lined up ready to go. Plus anytime there’s a gathering at the airport, whānau gatherings, weddings, and tangi, off goes another.
But our question as academics is how do we preserve its mana and integrity?
Haka is not overdone if the person knows what the haka is about, and the wairua behind every word. It is also not overdone if it makes you feel stronger, empowered and proud. Māori take immense pride in haka. We haka to show our support at any event as a way of evoking emotions, to protest, and to show force in numbers.
Ka mate Ka mate! Ka ora Ka ora! death, death, life, life! There exists a racist minority who is triggered by “too much haka” and it is the same group bleating that te reo Māori is being “rammed” down their throats. They don’t want a bar of te teo Māori but will grab onto Ka Mate as soon the All Blacks kick off at Eden Park. Many do not even know the meaning of Ka Mate or the words they are saying, and this is where haka loses its wairua.
In Ngāti Porou, men are known for their low stance, legs positioned in the shape of whare with their bodies upright and strong to represent the foundations of that whare. Shaking, stamping, eyes rolling and tongues protruding. Ko Ruaumoko e ngunguru nei – The God of earthquake rumbles.
Other iwi have their own unique styles which keeps their stories alive.
Recent controversy has ensued with rugby authorities banning Ngāti Porou East Coast Rugby team supporters from joining the pre-game “cultural challenges”. This is controversial because the cultural challenge they speak of is a long-standing tradition and ritual for the club; a haka which is embedded in the whenua and empowers iwi and the wider community. It is collective and communal; it is our treasure.
Plus Ngāti Porou East Coast are the only iwi-based rugby team in the competition.