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There are many types of sports around the world and certain sports tend to have certain practices that they do before actually playing the sport. For instance, in football, the players go on one knee as a sign of respect for the “Black Lives Matter” movement.

Recently a video of students from Malay College Kuala Kangsar, Perak performing the Haka has garnered many people’s attention.

They performed in front of Sonny Bill Willams, a former New Zealand Rugby player who is currently visiting Malaysia.

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A post shared by Sonny Bill Williams (@sonnybillwilliams)

Haka is a ceremonial dance that rugby players perform before a match.

This video was also shared by Esham Salam on his Twitter account.

Many people who saw the video were not happy that students followed the tradition of the Māori people.

Some were of the opinion that the students should have done something more Malay.

Haka

According to an article by Haka Tours, Hakas, created by Māori tribes as war dances, were performed to scare opponents and for their morale.

They were heavily choreographed, giving them courage and strength. The first type of haka called a peruperu haka, was used to scare opponents and call upon the god of war.

Over time, the haka evolved to become a symbol of community and strength, with a ngeri haka being performed to move performers and viewers psychologically, rather than causing fear. This type of haka is more free, allowing participants to express themselves.

In New Zealand, hakas are performed for various reasons, including national events like rugby games and personal occasions like weddings, funerals, and local events.

They are not exclusive to Māori tribes, but anyone is welcome to perform a haka with the seriousness and respect it deserves, as long as the performers are aware of their role and the meaning behind it.

Haka was introduced to Rugby by New Zealand rugby team, the All Blacks when they toured the British Isles in 1888, as reported by theIndependent.

Since then, the Haka dance has been known as the best tradition in rugby.

“Ka Mate” is a ceremonial haka by Te Rauparaha, performed by the All Blacks against international teams. It celebrates life triumphing over death and was created after Te Rauparaha escaped death by hiding in a dark food storage pit.

The famous line, “Ka mate, ka mate! ka ora! ka ora!”, means “I might die! I might die! I may live! I may live!” and the last line, “Ā, upane, ka upane, whiti te ra! Hi!”, means “A step upward, another… the Sun shines! Rise!”.

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