'Setting the record straight': Thousands set to bring haka world record back to Aotearoa

Jarred Cross Published September 19, 2024 at 3.00pm (AWST)

culture

Calls have been made for Aotearoa to reclaim the Guinness World Record for largest haka. Pictured: The All Blacks perform the haka prior to the 2023 Rugby World Cup final in Paris. (Image: AP)

The world record for the largest haka is set to return home to Aotearoa with up to 10,000 people expected at Auckland's Eden Park in the reclaim effort next weekend.

The currently recognised Guinness World Record was set in France by 4,028 people in a successful attempt hosted by car manufacturer Mazda and professional rugby club CA Brive in 2014.

A 3,264-person haka performed in New Zealand's North Island town of Ngāruawāhia in 2008 previously held the record.

In July, registered charitable trust Raukatauri Music Therapy Centre called on the country to "stand as a nation" and reclaim the mantle after 10 years.

The attempt aligns with Raukatauri's 20th anniversary celebrations with the Ka Mate haka - composed by 19th century Ngāti Toa iwi (tribe) chief Te Rauparaha, who signed the Treaty of Waitangi, set to be performed on September 29.

Musician, Raukatauri co-founder and HAKA event cultural ambassador Dame Hinewehi Mohi said the occasion "is a powerful statement of national pride, cultural heritage, unity" and about "setting the record straight".

"Haka is a unique symbol of Aotearoa, it is undeniably ours and it is recognised and revered around the world. Yet the official Guinness World Records title for the world's largest haka is currently held by 4,028 men and women, performed 10 years ago in France," she said.

*The current haka world record was set at Stade Amédée-Domenech in 2014. (Image: Diarmid Courrèges)*

"This is about more than just setting the record straight. It is about returning the mana of this world record to the land of its origins, and we will be doing it alongside some of Aotearoa's most celebrated musicians, sporting icons and kapa haka legends.

"This momentous event will showcase our rich cultural heritage to the world and reinforce the deep connection we all share."

The reclaiming effort includes performances from a lineup of bilingual artists as part of a fundraiser.

Whakaata Māori (Māori Television) will broadcast the event.

"Kapa haka is not just a performance art - it is the heartbeat of our culture. It empowers communities, sustains te reo Māori, and reaffirms our identity. Through haka, we honour our past, celebrate our present, and build a stronger future for our people," Whakaata Māori chief executive Shane Taurima said.

"We extend our deepest gratitude to Ngāti Toa Rangatira for supporting this event and sharing the precious legacy of Ka Mate with the world."

A training video, with tailored instructions for men and women, is included in ticket sales to ensure authenticity of Ka Mate, according to Māori News.