The haka is a unique Maori tradition that has proved to unite an entire culture. The Maori consist of several different tribes that hold their own haka traditons, but they all prove to hold emotive powers. Nicola Hyland describes the haka folk tradition as "an aesthetically and culturally complex intertextual mode whereby meaning and function are contingent on the chanting that accompanies the physical movement" (Hyland 2015, 68). Used as a war dance before the arrival of Pakeha, the haka inspired its participants and provoked its audience. It is still used to elicit emotion but it invokes a wider display of feelings from anger to sorrow to honor and joy. Sims and Stephens state that "folk groups form out of proximity; necessity; obligation, or circumstance; regular interaction; and shared interests or skills" (2011, 38). The uniting power of the haka proved to be so effective in its political protest to advance the rights of Maori people in the 20th century, that Pakeha began to take up the cause of Maori cultural revitalization (Tovey 1998). This new united front that saw Maori and Pakeha working together, produced a new national identity that has carried the haka into a new folk form.

In the early 20th century, the haka first took on a national identity through its use by the All Blacks. The national rugby team used it as a pregame performance meant to invoke fear in its rivals. The All Blacks were seen as a formidable team that represented the prowess of New Zealand as a powerhouse within the sport of rugby. Many Pakeha learned to perform the haka through these performances, and appropriated its use to form a new national identity. During this time, the Maori culture was seen only as a commodity, and little credit was given to these once thriving tribes. 

That began to change during World War II when Maori and Pakeha alike were joined in battle against the German, Italian, and Japanese forces. The traditional war hakas came back into use as a way to boost troop morale and give soldiers the confidence to fight in the grueling war (Gardiner 2001). At the close of WWII, a new national identity was forming to include both Maori and non-Maori as New Zealanders. But it wasn't until the Maori Renaissance took hold that the Maori culture began to be seen as a dominating element of the New Zealand identity.

As the Maori Renaissance grew in the 20th century, the haka was essentially reclaimed by the Maori as a cultural tradition and conversations of cultural appropriation by Pakeha began. Through political protests, partly taken on by the haka, New Zealand's government began to incorporate Maori culture into its policies and procedures. Maori are now considered to be intrinsically weaved into New Zealand's national identity. The haka is now not only seen as a Maori tradition, but a national one as well. The Maori participate in haka competitions and tourist attractions, while Pakeha continue to enjoy hakas performed during sporting events but are also culturally aware of what it means to the Maori (Murray 2000). The haka, as a national tradition, continues to show its emergent quality as it changes to incorporate modern ideals and values. Below is a video of a unique interpretation of the haka as it is seen, not only as a Maori tradition, but a New Zealand one as well. It is safe to say that the haka will continue to evolve throughout the 21st century and beyond.