The haka was originally performed as a war dance by Mäori tribes, with two purposes: to intimidate the opponent, and to boost the tribe’s morale before the fight. This traditional haka is known as <em>peruperu haka</em>, and involved tribes waving their weapons and contorting their bodies and faces to intimidate and provoke the opposition. Furthermore, the chanting that takes place was believed to summon the God of War to help the Mäori win the battle.<br><br>Modern haka performances have retained some of these elements; we observe similar chanting and contortions, but the use of weaponry is eliminated. These hakas – known as <em>ngeri hakas</em> – are used to promote community spirit, usually being performed at social gatherings as a sign of respect rather than before a battle. The ngeri haka permits greater freedom of movement in its choreography and whilst some hakas are exclusively performed by men, women may also participate in the ngeri.<br> <br>The most well-known haka is the <em>ka mate haka</em>, which is performed by the New Zealand All Blacks rugby team before the start of their matches. It was choreographed by Mäori chieftain Te Rauparaha after surviving a near-death situation, and retains many of the traditional Mäori haka elements.<br>