Kapa Haka Before the Performance

My youngest daughter, dressed for her school kapa haka performance in New Zealand.

Kapa haka is the Māori performing arts tradition of waiata, dance, chanting and haka, and it is taught in many New Zealand schools as a way for children to learn about te reo Māori, tikanga, history and culture.

The clothing and adornment are part of that learning and performance. For Kiwi schoolchildren, participating in kapa haka and dressing for a performance is not about borrowing someone else’s culture for fashion. It is a way of learning about, participating in and showing respect for Māori culture.