1820 Māori chief Te Rauparaha creates the famous haka “Ka Mate.”
The Haka was created.
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1820s–1830s Missionaries and European explorers record seeing haka performances. Many misunderstand it as purely a “war dance,” though it had broader cultural significance.
Missionaries and European explorers seeing haka performances.
1840 Treaty of Waitangi signed. Haka continue to be performed during gatherings, often as a form of protest, challenge, or assertion of mana (authority, prestige).
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1850s–1860s During the New Zealand Wars, haka are performed by Māori warriors before battles as both psychological warfare and an expression of identity.
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1860s–1870s Haka begin to be performed in peace contexts as well — at political meetings, welcomes, and public events — reinforcing their role beyond warfare.
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1880s–1890s Māori cultural groups increasingly perform haka for Pākehā (European) audiences, including at colonial exhibitions and tours abroad.
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1888–1889 The “New Zealand Natives” rugby team (a mostly Māori side) tours Britain and Australia. They perform haka before matches — the first recorded rugby haka on an international tour.
