Rewind to 1973
To most people, the haka is a war dance. This is understandable as many have seen the haka performed as a pre-battle challenge to their opposition. But the word "haka" simply means a dance, or a song accompanied by dance. While they are the correct terms to associate with the haka, they do not do justice to the life force, the actions, words, rhythm, themes, meaning, style or history that are the haka. While there are many variations between the types of war dance the common feature is that they are all performed with weapons.
In pre-European and early contact times, the haka was used as a part of the formal process when two parties came together. The encounter concluded with a tangata whenua performing a haka peruperu. The visitors would then respond with their own haka. Following speeches by both parties, they each moved together to hongi, the traditional greeting of pressing noses.
The elaborate form of the traditional challenge is not often seen these days. It is largely reserved for special occasions such as visits by senior dignitaries. However, the principles that underpin the traditional rituals are still retained in a modern form.