To haka, or not to haka? Who has the mana to decide?

The haka continues to make headlines around the world, captivating audiences and drawing both passionate supporters and critics.

The debate kicked off in March this year, when the Hurricanes Poua rugby team performed a haka championing Te Tiriti o Waitangi and called out 'te kāwanatanga'.

Then, this month Hauraki Waikato and Te Pāti Māori MP Hana Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke interrupted the first vote on the Treaty Principles Bill in Parliament house by launching into the haka 'Ka Mate'.

More recently, departing All Black half-back TJ Perenara, reignited fiery debate around 'haka' in sport and the role it plays in the political spectrum after leading 'Ka Mate' in the teams match against Italy.

As he launched into the haka, Perenara said "Toitū te mana o te whenua, toitū te mana motuhake, toitū te Tiriti o Waitangi," a statement which affirmed Māori sovereignty and the enduring significance of Te Tiriti o Waitangi.

His use of the word 'Toitū' and the term 'Toitū Te Tiriti' sparked an outpouring of support and backlash online. Some praised his stance, while others argued it was a political stunt promoting a 'Te Pāti Māori' campaign and had no place on the rugby field.

This controversy deepened when the All Blacks official Instagram account omitted Perenara's reference to Te Tiriti from their videos, drawing criticism from many, including Toitū Te Tiriti organisers.

They called the decision a disappointing example of haka being embraced performatively but censored when used to convey genuine Māori kaupapa.

"Disappointing and very sad to see haka, a national taonga and visceral expression of messaging and emotion censored in this way by an institution like [the All Blacks]," they wrote.

Protecting taonga and cultural identity

As haka becomes increasingly integrated into the sporting world, a critical question has been raised by academics - can we safeguard haka as a taonga while it is being used in the sporting realm?

Nicole Penetito-Hemara (Ngāti Ranginui, Ngāti Kahungunu, Te Whakatōhea, Ngāti Porou) whose research centred on this issue, acknowledges the challenges and said while haka was a powerful symbol of Māori culture, its increasing commodification risked undermining its cultural integrity.

"Haka, especially in the context of sport, is not merely a sanitised view of a challenge against the opposing team, it has a whakapapa that transcends far beyond that," Penetito-Hemara said.

"One of the many purposes of haka is to raise the dust on issues, challenges, kaupapa and topics which are pertinent to Māori and you have to be living under a rock not to notice - especially after the hīkoi last week - that a large majority of Māori oppose the actions of the current government in power."

She said that haka had always been a tool for raising significant issues, from Perenara's kōrero to Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke's opposition to the Treaty Principles Bill in Parliament, and even the Hurricanes Poua haka in March which criticised the government.

Penetito-Hemara said these "are all a reflection of Māori expressing themselves in a uniquely Māori way about a kaupapa that has deep meaning to them and their people."

The reaction from organisations often reflects discomfort with haka being used as an authentic vehicle for Māori expression, she said.

"It is obvious that haka has been accepted as an appropriate cultural practice which reflects our national identity ... However, controversy erupts when the lines are blurred between using haka as an identity marker versus as an expression of the political views of Ngāi Māori."

Whakapapa demonstrates the depth and richness of haka

Penetito-Hemara's doctoral research led to the development of her paper Whakawhiti te rā: A whakapapa approach to protecting haka as a taonga within sport settings in Aotearoa.

Penetito-Hemara said before engaging in haka, it was essential to understand its whakapapa; haka as an artform, the specific haka being performed and one's own whakapapa.

She said that haka carried a deep whakapapa that was interwoven into the fabric of Aotearoa. Its origins can be traced back to ngā atua Māori and tūpuna through many different pūrākau (narratives).

"The haka has a whakapapa that goes back to the creation of the universe... It's not just a war dance or a challenge - it holds many purposes, from welcoming visitors to expressing emotions and messages."

For example, the origin of haka could be told through the separation of Ranginui and Papatūānuku, where the first haka was said to have occurred between their sons, expressing their differing views on the separation.

"These pūrākau help frame the relationship between te ira atua and their contribution to haka. They emphasise ways we can tap into ancient knowledge to inform our actions in contemporary times."

One must understand the whakapapa of the haka they are performing, she said.

For example, performing Ka Mate in Te Waipounamu (the South Island) can be seen as disrespectful due to the history of Te Rauparaha, who composed it, causing harm to iwi, whānau and tūpuna there.

She said that was why you did not see the All Blacks performing Ka Mate in the South Island anymore, due to cultural advisors being brought into that space.

The development of Kapo O Pango haka was a positive move, however, when it was introduced, the throat slitting gesture was immediately taken away.

"Because it was seen as being too aggressive, and too potentially controversial in that space... you want the haka, but you don't want all of the haka.

"[Understand] your own whakapapa. Ahakoa he Māori, he Pākehā rānei, whether you're Māori or you're not, you should ask yourself what your connection to this haka is.

"If you want to be a good steward, a good kaitiaki of haka, understanding those three areas are really important to being a good kaitiaki."

A shifting future

The backlash against Perenara's message and its removal from official channels highlight the tension between using haka as a cultural marker and embracing its deeper, often political meanings, Penetito-Hemara said.

The treatment of the Hurricane's Poua, Hana-Rawhiti being banned from the debating chamber and restrictions on pre-game haka were examples of this, she said.

"We've seen many attempts to colonise haka over the years to serve national/global appeal... I'm less interested in the actions these organisations take to further 'colonise' our haka. I'm more interested in how they "legitimise" their actions," she said.

"This leaves questions surrounding whether haka should remain as a national identity marker in the context of sport moving forward, particularly when it is not always desired in its entirety."

Penetito-Hemara envisions a future for haka that balances respect for its whakapapa with the demands of modern sports.

"At the end of the day, haka is governed by tikanga (custom), and that means it should be spontaneous, not controlled. You can't bottle its energy."

NZR declined to comment.

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