New Zealand has reclaimed the world record for the largest mass haka, with over 6,000 people performing the traditional Māori dance, surpassing France’s previous record. The event took place at Auckland’s Eden Park rugby stadium, where 6,531 participants, including men, women, and children, gathered to perform the Ka Mate haka—a dance popularized by the All Blacks rugby team.
The record, previously held by France since 2014 when 4,028 people performed a haka in Brive-la-Gaillarde, was broken with a powerful display of coordinated movements, foot stomping, and rhythmic chanting. Although Auckland organizers had hoped to attract 10,000 participants, they were delighted to bring the record back to New Zealand, where the haka is considered a cultural treasure.
Michael Mizrahi, director of the Auckland attempt, expressed the significance of reclaiming the record: “It’s not just about taking it back from the French—it’s a national treasure for us. Some things should be culturally sacred.”
Previous attempts to break the record in New Zealand had failed due to a lack of official Guinness World Records verification. This time, an adjudicator was present to authenticate the achievement.
The Ka Mate haka, composed around 1820 by Māori warrior chief Te Rauparaha, was originally a celebration of his escape from a rival tribe. Under New Zealand law, the Ngati Toa tribe, based in Porirua near Wellington, are recognized as the cultural guardians of the Ka Mate haka.
