Young men around Auckland have taken up 'flash mob haka' to show their support for the New Zealand rugby team.
Young Maoris are using this modern concept to display their ancestral traditions in an entirely contemporary form.
Performer Michael Moka spoke to Fairfax New Zealand.
"We're learning traditional ways of our culture where all these boys have had some kind of expertise, some specialty in this culture. We had a challenge to try and put our traditional culture and...as well as trying to keep within protocol, but trying to use it in a contemporary where people would enjoy our culture that wouldn't be understood in another way."
Derek Fox is the editor of a Maori lifestyle and current affairs magazine, Mana.
"Well, Haka, people mistakenly call it a war dance. But it's actually a posture dance. If Haka's done properly - you'll see how people adopt certain postures and sure some of them are aggressive. And I guess that's all part of the posturing too. And over the years Haka performed so you leave people in no doubt of what your feelings are on something. And it's not just a matter of an aggressive stance or the movements but it's also the words that are said."
Different tribes have Haka specific to them, but the most popular Haka the All Blacks perform - the Ka Mate (kuh-mutay) - has helped elevate the Haka into the international limelight as well as sealing the dance as part of New Zealand identity.
"It is usually aggressive, it's usually performed by men but there is Haka for women as well", Fox says.
However aggressive it may look, the Haka is enthralling to most audiences.
This may explain why New Zealand Rugby has heavily invested in the marketing of the dance, professionally training their players in posturing techniques.
Mike Jaspers is from New Zealand Rugby.
"The Haka is part of the New Zealand brand isn't it? It's something which is very identifiable as part of being New Zealand's culture. And wherever people see it performed in the world, or when the All Blacks play, it's easily recognisable as a wonderful motif, if you like, of New Zealand and the All Blacks brand is synonomous with that."
Internationally, Haka has helped identify New Zealand as a culturally rich nation, proud of its history and actively immersed in its Maori heritage.
And the young Maori performers taking part in the flash mob Hakas say they feel as though they're showing solidarity with the All Blacks, as they try to win the World Cup.
"You know a lot of us are young so most of us actually won't be able to afford to go to the game and support them that way. So we'll try and do as much as we can on and off the field, you know? So as long as they perform on the field, we'll be our best off the field."
