Haka Competition: What It Is, Where It’s Run and How It’s Judged

The haka item of a kapa haka set, a powerful, forceful team performance of chanted words, stamping feet and strong body movement, led by a male or female voice.

Haka is the fifth compulsory item of a kapa haka set. It is a vigorous group performance in te reo Maori, built on shouted and chanted text, rhythmic stamping, strong arm and leg movements and expressive faces. Many people know haka only as a challenge before a sports match, but in competition it is a composed item with a defined text, a leader or leaders and a carefully drilled structure.

On eTalenter the item is installed once, on the New Zealand secondary schools kapa haka template. It is a team entry in te reo Maori for mixed teams in a single Kura Tuarua group, ages 13 to 18, scored out of 100 with marks as the score type. The template follows the national kapa haka rules, where each compulsory item is scored out of 100 and the whole set must fit inside 25 minutes, so haka has to share that time with the other six items.

A finished entry usually opens with a call from a leader, then the whole team answers in unison. Voices move from low, driving chants to sharp, punched phrases, while the feet and hands keep the same beat. The team lodges the words in advance, so the panel can follow the te reo and the meaning behind each line while watching the movement.

The national rules also recognise a separate award for a newly composed haka (a Titonga Hou award). It is distinct from the placing score, so a team can be honoured for its composition even when delivery costs it marks.

Where Haka is run

On eTalenter, Haka is used in one template: the New Zealand secondary schools kapa haka template, where it is the fifth of the seven compulsory items. Haka belongs to the Maori performing arts of Aotearoa New Zealand and is performed at school, community and national kapa haka events as well as at welcomes, celebrations and sport. The template is built from the national event rules; the age range for the secondary event is recorded as unverified because that event does not publish its own rules.

• New Zealand (Aotearoa)

Key facts

• Team entry in te reo Maori, mixed teams, one Kura Tuarua group (ages 13 to 18 on the template)
• Scored out of 100; one of seven compulsory items that decide the final placing
• Five judges score each compulsory item; the highest and lowest marks are dropped and the middle three are averaged
• All seven compulsory items must fit within 25 minutes in total; the template sets no separate time limit for haka
• The words are lodged in advance so the panel can follow the te reo and the meaning of the text
• Idea, not a rule: let the team hear a recording of the finished text spoken at full volume before it adds any movement, so everyone shares the same pace and emphasis

On eTalenter, Haka is filed under On Stage and typically scored with Marks. It appears in 1 ready-made event templates — each one can adjust its time limit, age-group assignment and scoring setup independently.

Across the templates that use it, Haka is most often entered as an Team competition, typically scored out of 100.

What judges look at in Haka

What a Haka panel is actually weighing up, and where the marks are usually won or lost:

• Vocal power and control: voices are strong and projected without shouting out of tune or losing the words
• Accuracy and clarity of te reo: every word pronounced correctly and audible, matching the lodged text
• Precision and unison of movement: stamps, strikes and arm positions land together across the whole team
• Intensity and expression: faces, eyes and posture carry the meaning of the text, not just the volume
• Leadership: the leader’s calls set the pace and the team answers cleanly and on time
• Structure and composition: the item builds, peaks and finishes decisively instead of fading

Treat these as the judging focus, not a fixed rubric: publish your own weighted criteria for Haka under Scoring Setup, or start from the judge scoring and tabulation guide.

How to prepare for Haka

How entrants and their teachers usually get Haka right on the day:

• Start with the meaning of the text, since a team that understands each line performs it with the right force and emphasis
• Learn the words standing still first, then add the footwork, then the arms, and only then the full intensity
• Drill the leader’s calls and the team’s answers separately so the timing never relies on guessing
• Build stamina with repeated full-effort run-throughs, because the final lines must be as strong as the first
• Look after the voice: warm up before rehearsals and avoid straining in the days before the event
• Stand in the performance formation in rehearsal and film it from the front to check lines, spacing and unison
• After a regional loss, compare a recording against the lodged text to find missed words and uneven strikes before changing the choreography

Frequently asked questions

Is Haka judged individually or as a team?

Across eTalenter’s templates it’s most often run as an Team entry, though an organiser can set either participation type when assigning the item to an age group.

Is Haka the same as Waiata a-ringa?

No. On this template they are separate compulsory items with their own scores. Waiata a-ringa is the action song; haka is the forceful chanted item built on stamping and strong body movement.

Is Haka judged individually or as a team?

As a team. The whole group is scored together out of 100, and individual performers are not marked separately for it.

How long is a Haka item?

The template sets no separate limit. On the national model, all seven compulsory items together must fit inside 25 minutes.

Can a team skip it?

Not on this template: it is one of the seven compulsory items that decide the placing. Only Waiata Tira is optional.

Want the full judging picture? Read the judge scoring and tabulation guide, or browse every on stage competition item.