Kereama Te Ua and some Māori women went to pray at the frontline where authorities were positioned.

“I didn't think I was going to do it there. I just had an overwhelming feeling to drop to my knee and deliver something from my ancestors, knowing full well that a haka would have provoked them, they wouldn't understand what it means, and these guys are looking at any reason to take a shot at us,” said Te Ua.

For months the Sioux tribe along with thousands from around the world have been camped at Standing Rock, to protest the construction of the underground pipeline, which they claim will pass through a sacred burial site.

“It was really about my ancestors acknowledging their ancestors and letting them know that we're here to support them and even if we're not there ā tīnana, there's a maunga of people and a maunga of my ancestors standing behind me, standing for Standing Rock.”

The haka is a traditional war cry, dance, or challenge from the Māori people of New Zealand. It is a posture dance performed by a group, with vigorous movements and stamping of the feet with rhythmically shouted accompaniment.


War haka were originally performed by warriors before a battle, proclaiming their strength and prowess in order to intimidate the opposition.

Most haka are performed by men. There are however some haka which are performed predominantly by women – one of the most well-known being the Ngāti Porou haka "Ka Panapana".