The World’s Largest Haka

New Zealand is famous for the Haka. If you’ve ever seen an All Blacks game, you’ll be familiar with the way they slap their thighs, poke out their tongues, and shout really loud.

While travelling, I’ve had many people go “ah, New Zealand” and then attempt to do the haka.

Weird? Yes.

Scary? A little.

The Haka is known as a war dance. It’s tradition before going into battle – now that battle is the rugby field – but it’s also used as a celebratory dance as well.

The Haka can also be performed at funerals, weddings, at the park – especially with young rugby crazed kids.

The Haka is a special and meaningful dance to those from New Zealand.

So New Zealand decided to win back the title for the World’s Largest Haka.

The ones who had hold of it were the French – can you believe it?

The French held the title for the most people doing the Haka in one space at one time. Crazy.

This event had been advertised in New Zealand for a while – highly regarded New Zealand performers were going be there, and it was to be held at Eden Park – a New Zealand institution.

The prices quickly dropped and the advertising got bigger as the event got nearer. They really needed to win the title.

The crowd gathered outside of Eden Park stadium. People were eating and snacking on the side of the street, and others were waiting in line as the security guard checked people’s bags and then allowed them into the stadium — assuming they found nothing suspicious of course.

Crowds of people and big families all hanging out outside of an event is nothing, something you would typically see in The Netherlands. In The Netherlands, the streets are so small and usually border along a canal — not much room for people to stop and snack or sit and relax.

Large events in The Netherlands are usually street parties — stages are set up and people are made aware — usually by tents and seats — where they can loiter.

Not in New Zealand, in New Zealand we loiter everywhere. Loitering is the best activity known to human.

alking into the stadium, we scanned our tickets and walked through electronic barriers that led us into the stadiums grounds. A real life human guided us in the direction of the seating.

We had to stop and ask someone for directions, as we couldn’t find the section with our allocated seating on.

“Just sit anywhere.” Was the response.

Our seats were in Y section, and we were walking around section B, so I was grateful they let us just sit down.

In The Netherlands, if you have allocated seating, you have allocated seating.

Various music bands came on the stage that sat far, far away on the rugby field. The musicians were the size of ants but thankfully there was a screen for us to see the performers.

Each performer played one song and they were all Kiwi artists (the people not the bird), (the people not the fruit).

There was a classical number, then a folk number, then a classical number, then a classical number, then a folk number, then a classical number.

Then a screamo band came on to liven things up.

Then a classical number and a folk number.

The music was lovely and many classic kiwi songs.

The culture not the fruit.

As the day went on, the clouds moved over the sky and we watched as everything got darker and darker.

The clouds were ominous — which did remind me of Dutch weather.

Thankfully, we were able to avoid any heavy downpours.

The crowd of over a thousand people — whatever the new world record breaking number is, gathered and had a practice run through of he Haka. Everyone in the crowd joined in as well.

Then it came time for the real deal.

An American who was working for Guinness World Records showed himself on stage, and tried to give the kiwi crowd some instructions.

In The Netherlands, instructions are followed to a T.

In New Zealand, they are seen more as suggestions.

People who were part of the Guinness World Record Crew were instructed to put their hands up — so everyone put their hands up.

The crowd was asked to part in the middle, so everyone moved to the left.

It was a bit of chaos but no one minded.

No one except the man trying to give instructions.

The whole event was beautiful.

Being from New Zealand and seeing a massive crowd all participate in the Haka was almost a tearful experience.

A beautiful experience.

What a great moment to be alive in and experience.