Abstract:
Haka is a legacy that Māori of Aotearoa have inherited from their ancestors. It is an indigenous artform of Aotearoa which expresses Māori identity, solidarity and cultural wealth. Haka thus encapsulates and perpetuates wairua Māori.
This is a thesis which considers the evolution of haka in modern times. It also seeks to find out how Māori identity is expressed through haka, and, how Māori experience the process of healing and politicising themselves through the performance of haka and other forms of Māori dance.
Haka is an important system of encoding Māori knowledge. In this thesis, the writer also investigates the philosophies and processes that govern haka. Although this study is largely based on Ngāti Porou cultural practices many aspects discussed are universal throughout the Māori world.
