Haka as Inspiration

“It comes from the adrenaline I feel in the moment, but the story behind it is that when I was growing up, I watched a lot of rugby with my brothers. As any spectator, one of the greatest moments is marvelling at the haka, and it was no different for me.

“Watching Tana Umaga lead the first Kapa O Pango haka in 2005 with so much passion, I kind of got it from there, and then I tried to take it and make it my own and incorporate it into who Aphiwe is.

“Part of it also comes from watching a film about a Kenyan tribe called the Maasai, when I was in Grade 7. There was a kid from the royal family in the film who has to go through an initiation process into manhood.

“The kid goes out into the wild and he faces a lion that he goes on to defeat. He did a similar sort of thing [celebration], and it’s also where I drew my inspiration. It’s kind of like conquering lions.”