THE HAKA

● The Haka was first performed in sport in 1888 by the New Zealand rugby union team during a UK tour.

● The most well-known Haka, the Ka Mate, was written in 1820 by a chief hiding from an enemy in a kumara (sweet potato) pit. Ka Mate means ‘will I die?’.

● Haka is made up of two words: ‘ha’ means breath and ‘ka’ means fire.

● The new Haka, Kapa O Pango, means Surging Mass of Black.