What do people wear when preforming the tradtional maori war dance haka?

Answer 1

Whatever they are wearing at the time if a haka is being performed spontaneously and in a casual setting. If a Haka is performed in a formal or ceremonial situation then traditional costume may be worn, depending on the event. As haka are frequently performed by sports people and teams before matches and after victories, then the performers wear their sports uniforms (often with shirts removed if performed after a victory). Similarly, for female sports teams, a representation perform a haka on their behalf, wearing whatever they choose to be wearing, be it some kind of uniform or just 'normal' clothing. Pre-European Maori warriors often went into battle naked (apart from a flax belt) and a pre-battle haka would also have been performed in a similar state of undress. During the haka and battle, an erect penis (rere ure) was seen as a sign of courage.