HAKA
TE TĪMATANGA
Te Tīmatanga | The Māori All Blacks Haka Explained
Performed by the Māori All Blacks, Te Tīmatanga tells the story of creation, identity and connection through whakapapa. Featuring powerful haka performances and insight from players and cultural leaders, this short film explores the meaning behind one of rugby’s most unique and deeply rooted traditions.
5:00
Māori All Blacks
TE TĪMATANGA ORIGINS
Te Tīmatanga is the haka of the Māori All Blacks, first performed in 2001 as a powerful expression of the team’s identity, heritage and purpose. Its name translates to “the beginning”, reflecting themes of creation, origin and new life.
Composed by team kaumātua Te Whetu Tipiwai, the haka draws on Māori creation narratives, telling the story of emergence from the void, through darkness, and into the world of light. It speaks to the formation of Aotearoa and the forces that shaped it, grounded in whakapapa and connection to the natural world.
THE STORY OF TE TĪMATANGA
At its core, Te Tīmatanga is also a call to the present. It represents a gathering of players, young leaders and warriors, united in purpose. It sets out a shared commitment to mātauranga (knowledge), whanaungatanga (unity) and taumata (excellence), values that underpin both the team and the wider Māori rugby legacy.
More than a pre-match ritual, the haka is a statement of identity and intent. It connects the Māori All Blacks to their ancestors, to each other, and to the responsibility of representing their people and culture on the world stage.
TE TĪMATANGA TODAY
Today, Te Tīmatanga is performed by the Māori All Blacks before matches around the world. It stands alongside the haka of the All Blacks and Black Ferns as a powerful expression of New Zealand rugby, grounded in tradition while continuing to evolve with each generation.
TE TĪMATANGA TRANSLATED
TE TĪMATANGA (MĀORI)
I Te tīmatanga
Ko Te Kore
Ko Te Pō-nui
Ko Te Pō-roa
Ia, ha ha!
Wehenga mātua
Herenga tāngata
He toa rangatahi
He toa rangatira.
Whakaki te maunga
Tae ki te whenua
Hoki ki te rangi
Tae ki te pukerunga
Ia, ha ha!
Piki ake, piki ake
Ki te ara poutama
Ki ngā taumatatanga
e Wairua,
Hinengaro
Tinana
Aue, aue, aue, hi!
TE TIMATANGA (ENGLISH)
In the beginning
there was nothingness,
then great dark forms
in the long night.
The separation of our parents
The binding together of mankind
Young warriors
Noble warriors
Aim for the mountain
to arrive at the plain,
and also for the sky
to arrive at the hilltop
Keep on climbing
via the pathway of wisdom,
to achieve excellence
spiritually,
mentally,
physically.
