New Zealand Herald: “The iwi [tribal nation] connected to New Zealand’s most famous haka is calling on anti-vaxxers to stop using it at their protests immediately. Ngāti Toa has issued a strong notice to anyone who supports Covid anti-vaccination messages that they condemn the use of the Ka Mate haka at their protests.
“‘As the descendants of Te Rauparaha, we insist that protesters stop using our taonga immediately,’ one of the iwi’s leaders, Dr Taku Parai, said. ‘We do not support their position and we do not want our tupuna or our iwi associated with their messages.’ Te Rauparaha was a war leader for Ngāti Toa and is credited as composing the Ka Mate haka in the early 1800s.
“It is arguably the most famous and well-known haka around the world; performed by the All Blacks at rugby test matches and by members of the public at various events and special occasions.
Parai said the iwi’s move to call on protesters to stop using the haka came after seeing it being used at several anti-vaccination protests during the current Covid outbreak.”
The Ka Mate haka: