The New Zealand Men's National Team is set to compete at the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup, qualifying with a third-place finish at the 2022 FIBA Asia Cup in Indonesia.
One year after qualifying, New Zealand's Tall Blacks are in the Philippines, where they will take part in a group featuring Greece, Jordan and the United States. And while each matchup provides a unique challenge, New Zealand's final step of preparation before each game will be the same.
As part of a pregame tradition, the Tall Blacks perform a traditional haka just moments before the game tips off. The haka features all 12 members of the team performing in synchrony, with actions including stomping and rhythmic body slapping accompanying a loud chant.
The tradition, which is interwoven with the nation's rich culture, has often resulted in memorable reactions from New Zealand's opponents, most notably James Harden and Team USA in 2014.
MORE: New Zealand official FIBA Basketball World Cup roster
The haka meaning, explained
The haka is a pivotal element of Māori culture. Māori are the indigenous Polynesian people of New Zealand. Here is a detailed explanation of the Tall Blacks' haka, Tū Kaha, from the official website of New Zealand basketball:
Contrary to popular belief, the Tall Blacks haka is not a war dance. Former Tall Black, Paora Winitana, says there are many reasons why New Zealanders haka – to celebrate, to acknowledge, to give thanks, at tangi (funerals)...
The objective of the Tall Blacks' haka Tū Kaha is purely to help us all stand strong, not only as Tall Blacks or as basketball players, but as a people, as New Zealanders. One of the lines is 'Tuturu whakamaua kia tina,' which means 'we honour the past, the present, the future.' This is us acknowledging everybody who has gone before us, those who will surely follow after and the acceptance of the responsibility we have now to prepare the way forward. We are not standing strong because it's the 12 guys you see standing against you, we are standing strong because it's you against every Tall Black and all New Zealanders.
In each game, the Tall Blacks are unified in the same Māori chant, which holds deep meaning and connects the 12 players suiting up to their entire nation.
New Zealand basketball team haka
As explained by on the official website of New Zealand, "haka are also used to challenge opponents on the sports field."
It is important to note that there are different haka, with the New Zealand Tall Blacks having their own haka, which differentiates from other national teams, including New Zealand's men's and women's rugby teams, each of whom uses a different haka.
Meaning of New Zealand basketball team chant
Here is the meaning of the chant said as part of the Tall Blacks' haka:
Tūturu whakamaua kia tina! Tina
Honor the past, the present, the future.
Haumi e hui e... tāiki e!
To all who can hear my voice, listen... We are ready!
Torona kei waho!
We accept your challenge, accept ours.
Hurunuku, Hururangi te hau o Tāwhirmātea, e kaka nei!
The two strongest winds of Tawhiri, Hurunuku and Hururangi are here.
TŪ KAHA O PANGO TE KAKHIKATEA A Hī!
The black singlet stands strong, firm, immovable.
Whakarongo ki ngā pere o te ā-whiowhio
Listen to the fierceness of this great storm.
Haere mai haere mai te hau kaha auē te wehi e!
To the strongest winds we reply, "Bring your best! We will never give in, we have no fear!"
He aha tātau tū tonu ai?
In the midst of this great storm, how are we still standing?
He pakiaka, toi Ariki, toi Uru tapu
Our strength is in our roots, our history, our legacy. This is the vine that connects us with a sacred strength from above.
TŪ KAHA O PANTO TE KAHIKATEA HĪ!
The black singlet stands strong, firm, immovable!
New Zealand basketball team haka video
Here is a look back at New Zealand's basketball team performing the haka prior to a meeting with Team USA in 2014:
Why is New Zealand's basketball team called the Tall Blacks?
The nickname is derived from the nickname for New Zealand's rugby team, which is called the All Blacks.
The rugby team's nickname was inspired by its uniforms, which are all black. The basketball team's nickname is a play on that, leaning on the fact that, in addition to wearing black, most members of the team are exceptionally tall.
