Haka

High school (ages 12+)
History & Culture

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/haka

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the cultural origin?Indigenous Māori culture of New Zealand
2. What is the historical and social functions?Welcoming guests, acknowledging achievements, funerals, social cohesion, and historical ritualistic displays
3. Why do Māori people perform Haka?They use it to welcome guests, celebrate achievements, mark life events, and honor the dead, showing unity and identity.
4. How do people learn to do a Haka?Children join Kapa Haka groups in schools, practicing together to build coordination, discipline, and emotion for the performance.

Māori: The indigenous Polynesian people of Aotearoa (New Zealand), possessing a distinct language, culture, and history.
Kapa Haka: A formalized Māori performing arts tradition, encompassing Haka, waiata (songs), and other cultural expressions, often taught in schools.
Pūkana: A powerful facial expression in Haka, characterized by wide, staring eyes, used to convey intensity, challenge, or strong emotion.
Whetero: A specific facial expression in Haka, involving protruding the tongue, often used to display ferocity or defiance.