Definition of "haka"
haka
noun
plural hakas or haka
A group dance of New Zealand's Maori people featuring rhythmic chanting, vigorous facial and arm movements, and foot stamping. Traditionally a war dance, today it is also performed to welcome guests, as a mark of respect at occasions such as commemorations and funerals, as a challenge to opposing teams at sports events, and for artistic purposes.
Quotations
After each of my retinue were presented to the chief, partaking of the honour of the ougi, or salutation, the hákà, or dance of welcome, was performed; this was commenced by our entertainers, who placed themselves in an extended line, in ranks four deep. This dance, to a stranger witnessing it for the first time, is calculated to excite the most alarming fears; […]
1838, J[oel] S[amuel] Polack, chapter III, in New Zealand: Being a Narrative of Travels and Adventures during a Residence in that Country between the Years 1831 and 1837. [...] In Two Volumes, volume I, London: Richard Bentley, New Burlington Street, publisher in ordinary to Her Majesty, page 81
A "Haka" is the native dance, answering to the corroboree of the Australian aboriginals, and we were anxious to see it. […] Later in the evening, however, the complaisant Herekiekie entertained a small and select party at a "Haka" in his "whare" or house (pronounced wharry). It was exactly what I expected. The performers, all male, stood in a row, one, slightly advanced, acting as fugleman. They shouted and gesticulated with the most hideous and revolting gestures, grimaces, and yells.
1876 January, “A Week among the Maoris of Lake Taupo”, in The Cornhill Magazine, volume XXXIII, number 193, London: Smith, Elder & Co., 15 Waterloo Place, page 65
An already febrile atmosphere within the ground before the start had been stoked still further when France's players formed an arrow formation to face down the haka, and then advanced slowly over halfway as the capacity crowd roared.
2011 October 23, Tom Fordyce, “2011 Rugby World Cup Final: New Zealand 8 – 7 France”, in BBC Sport, archived from the original on 3 April 2017
The Maori haka ritual has been made famous by the All Blacks, New Zealand's national rugby team. Before each match, the All Blacks face their opponents and engage in a synchronized display of hand-slapping, feet-stomping, chest-pumping, tongue-wagging, and eye-popping chanting and dancing designed to intimidate their opponents. The All Blacks' version of the haka is called ka-mate, a war haka or peruperu. […] But hakas are not restricted to war; they are also used as a welcome to strangers, as part of a funeral, or as part of various celebrations and ceremonies.
2013, Matt J. Rossano, “Mountain Rituals”, in Mortal Rituals: What the Story of the Andes Survivors Tells Us about Human Evolution, New York, N.Y., Chichester, West Sussex: Columbia University Press, pages 105–106
verb
third-person singular simple present hakas, present participle hakaing, simple past and past participle hakaed
(intransitive) To perform the haka.
Quotations
[T]hey hoisted him up to the ridge pole and lighted the fire; they began to haka, when they were tired of that they sang songs, […]
1870, Richard Taylor, “Traditions and Legends. (Continued.) [The Story of Tama te Kapua, and His Brother Wakaturia.]”, in Te Ika a Maui; or, New Zealand and Its Inhabitants. Illustrating the Origin, Manners, Customs, Mythology, Religion, Rites, Songs, Proverbs, Fables, and Language of the Maori and Polynesian Races in General; together with the Geology, Natural History, Productions, and Climate of the Country, 2nd edition, London: William Macintosh, 24, Paternoster Row; Wanganui, New Zealand: H. Ireson Jones, page 274
The haka is one of the Maori's most honourable games that can be performed to entertain strangers; and when such is played it is a sign of a people of chiefs and days of peace. The people played this game to her that Te-kahu-rere-moa might haka and entertain them, that they might see how beautifully she could haka. […] She hakaed for some time, and all the people were quite in love with her.
1888, John White, “Hotu-nui. (Nga-ti-maru.)”, in The Ancient History of the Maori, His Mythology and Traditions. Tai-Nui, volume IV, Wellington: By authority; George Didsbury, government printer, pages 213–214