I’d seen various versions of the Haka performed by soldiers and warriors from New Zealand previously. Wild stuff. The clip below is the first I’ve seen it done by a single individual and the first time I’ve seen it done by a woman.
So what does it signify? Well, it comes from a Maori legend of the sun god and one of his wives who embodied the essence of summer. They had a son and the Maori said that the quivering appearance of the air on hot summer days is a sign of the son dancing for his mother. Their dance is, supposedly, a mime of his dance.
Before going all judgemental on the religious beliefs of the Maori, consider the very poignant observation of that great American philosopher Bill Burr: