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Haka's Global Cultural Impact

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Haka's Global Cultural Impact

Read the briefing and complete the activities. Use evidence from the text, and distinguish cultural understanding from simply copying movements.

Briefing: Haka travels

Haka are Māori performance forms, and they are not all the same. Different haka have different purposes, words, movements and histories. Some are associated with welcome, challenge, celebration, remembrance or collective identity. The meaning of a particular haka depends on its context and the people connected to it. Haka are now seen beyond Aotearoa. International audiences may encounter them at sporting events, cultural festivals, commemorations or community gatherings. The haka performed by the All Blacks before many rugby matches has made one form of Māori performance familiar to viewers around the world. Its visibility can prompt curiosity about te reo Māori and Māori culture, and can give Māori communities a powerful way to express identity and connection. Global attention also brings responsibilities. Viewers may admire the energy and coordination while missing the words, history or cultural significance. Treating every haka as an interchangeable “war dance”, copying one without permission or context, or using it as a joke can misrepresent Māori culture. Respectful engagement means learning about the particular haka, acknowledging its Māori origins, and listening to the people who hold knowledge and authority about it. Haka’s global impact is therefore not just about being watched: it can create opportunities for learning, pride and exchange, while raising questions about representation, ownership and respect.

Read, interpret, evaluate

Use the briefing to support your responses. In longer answers, explain your reasoning and consider more than one perspective.

1.According to the briefing, which statement best explains why it is inaccurate to treat all haka as identical?

They all have the same purpose, but are performed in different countries.
Different haka have distinct purposes, words, movements and histories.
Only haka performed before rugby matches have cultural meaning.
Their meanings depend entirely on whether the audience understands te reo Māori.

2.Name two settings outside Aotearoa where audiences may encounter haka, according to the briefing.

3.The briefing says international visibility can prompt curiosity. Give one example of something viewers might become curious to learn about.

4.True or false? A performance can be energetic and coordinated while viewers still misunderstand its cultural significance. Support your choice with an idea from the briefing.

TrueFalse

5.Complete the idea using a word from the briefing: Respectful engagement includes listening to the people who hold knowledge and about a particular haka.

6.Match each effect in List A with the most suitable description in List B. Write the matching letter beside each effect.

List A: Learning opportunity
List A: Cultural expression
List A: Misrepresentation

List B: B. An audience seeks to understand the haka’s words or history.
List B: A. A haka is reduced to an interchangeable “war dance”.
List B: C. A Māori community expresses identity and connection.

7.Explain one difference between appreciating a haka and copying it without permission or context.

8.A sports club overseas wants to include haka in a promotional video. Give two respectful steps its organisers should take before deciding what to show.

9.The briefing presents global attention as having both benefits and risks. Explain one benefit and one risk, using details from the text.

10.Write a short message for an international audience explaining why haka’s global impact is about more than performance. Include one opportunity it creates and one responsibility audiences have.