HAKA
KO UHIA MAI
Ko Ūhia Mai | The Story of the Black Ferns Haka
Ko Ūhia Mai is the haka of the Black Ferns. A powerful expression of strength, unity and wāhine Māori. Featuring key voices including Portia Woodman-Wickliffe, Farah Palmer and Regina Sheck, this short film explores the origins, meaning and emotional power behind one of New Zealand rugby’s most important cultural traditions. Through powerful performances, personal reflections and cultural insight, discover what Ko Ūhia Mai means to the Black Ferns.
5:25
Black Ferns
KO UHIA MAI ORIGINS
Ko Uhia Mai is the haka of the Black Ferns, created as a powerful expression of the team’s identity, unity and strength. Its name translates as “Let It Be Known”, a declaration of presence and purpose on the international stage.
Ko Uhia Mai
THE STORY OF KO UHIA MAI
Composed by respected Māori rugby leader Te Whetu Tipiwai, the haka speaks to wāhine standing together, regardless of where they come from, to face challenges as one. It draws on themes of whakapapa, connection to the land, and the collective strength of women.
At its core, Ko Uhia Mai honours the journey of wāhine Māori, referencing figures such as Hineahuone, Hinetītama and Hinenui-te-pō, and the movement from darkness into light. It weaves together elements of sky, earth, mountains and sea, grounding the team in both ancestry and the natural world.
More than a pre-match ritual, the haka is a statement of unity and intent. It reflects the pride, mana and resilience of the Black Ferns, and the responsibility they carry as representatives of Aotearoa.
KO UHIA MAI TODAY
Today, Ko Uhia Mai is performed by the Black Ferns before matches around the world. It stands alongside the haka of the All Blacks as a powerful expression of New Zealand rugby, shaped by its own story, voice and legacy.
KO UHIA MAI TRANSLATED
Ko Uhia Mai (Māori)
Ā uhia mai
Ko wai ngā hine?
Ko wai ngā hine?
Ko Ngā Mamaku e ngunguru nei
Ko Hineahuone, ko Hinetītama, ko Hinenuitepō
Ki te whaiao, ki te ao mārama e
Hī a hahā
Mauri ki te rangi
Me te whenua
Ngā kapua whakapipi
Mai i ngā maunga tītia e
Hī a hahā
He tia, he tia
Te Moana-nui-a-Kiwa
Mai i ngā topito
Ki ngā moutere
O te ao whānui e
Hī a hahā
Tū mai rā koe
Te mana wahine
Te Whare Tangata
Ngā Mamaku o Aotearoa
He tia, he tia. He ranga, he ranga
Haere mai te toki
Haumī ē, hui e
Tāiki ē
Ko Uhia Mai (English)
Let it be known
Who are these women
It’s the Black Ferns rumble
From Hineahuone, Hinetitama and Hinenui te po we came
To transfer from the heavens to the world of enlightenment
Life force from above
Life force from below (earth)
The gathering clouds
The mountains that pierce the sky
Let us proceed
To the seas
From the corners of the island
To the neighbouring islands
And around the world
You stand tall and proud.
Women of strength.
Who will bear the future.
The Black Ferns of New Zealand.
Rise and press on.
When the challenge arrives.
We will gather and unite together.
Strength together. It will be done.
