When trying to describe the Haka to someone, I always refer to the All Blacks and how they perform this ancient ancestral war cry prior to every match they play. In view of the Haka’s strong ties to rugby, we have noticed a huge surge in bookings for Haka events as the Rugby World Cup 2015, hosted by England, nears.

While the Haka is synonymous with rugby, it is also performed for births, deaths, important occasions and as a welcome. During one of our team building workshops, your group will enjoy hearing about Maori culture and will be regaled with the story of the Ka Mate Haka and its origins. This particular Haka is the one performed by the All Blacks and, therefore, the one that has introduced most people to this spectacle. Its origins go back hundreds of years with roots as a battle cry, and it is of huge significance to the Maori people. This is why it is important to us that when offering a Haka, either as a performance or a workshop, the facilitators we use are genuine Maori warriors. Every one of them is of Maori descent ensuring that every Haka is performed with 100% passion and pride.

In anticipation of the forthcoming Rugby World Cup, the Webb Ellis Cup has been visiting various destinations up and down the country. People have had the opportunity to get up close and personal with this iconic trophy. As part of its tour, the Cup recently visited Telford as an added attraction to an annual ‘T Party’ family fun day. This included arts and crafts, music and culture along with a Rugby 7s tournament.

Our wonderful Maori team were invited to welcome the arrival of the Cup with a traditional Haka. They wowed the audience and, as part of their performance, spoke about Maori culture, sang a traditional song and got the whole crowd involved in learning the Haka. As the New Zealand Rugby Team currently holds the World Cup, our team brought a real sense of authenticity and relevance as the trophy arrived on site. Being very amiable, our team was happy to pose alongside the Cup with dignitaries and a long parade of excited members of the public!

We received this wonderful feedback from our client – Telford and Wrekin Council:

“I just wanted to say a massive thank you to Creative Team Events for the wonderful Maori team you provided for ‘T Party’. They were amazing and a real crowd pleaser! They really were the icing on the cake for the whole event and their presence on site throughout the day really added to the atmosphere, plus they were so gracious and willing to have hundreds of photos taken.”

We are so proud that our Maori warriors are part of the Creative team. Well done to all involved!