"kapa haka" means: Māori performing arts, including song, dance, and synchronized movement.. This is a fairly neutral word with no inherent risk attached. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than something dangerous. If your child uses it, context will usually make the meaning clear. A brief, curious question about where they heard it is generally enough to know whether to follow up.
kapa haka
(NZ, uncountable) Māori performing arts, including song, dance, and synchronized movement.
Definitions
#1·Apr 27, 2026
(NZ, uncountable) Māori performing arts, including song, dance, and synchronized movement.
For parents
"kapa haka" means: Māori performing arts, including song, dance, and synchronized movement.. This is a fairly neutral word with no inherent risk attached. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than something dangerous. If your child uses it, context will usually make the meaning clear. A brief, curious question about where they heard it is generally enough to know whether to follow up.
For ESL learners
"kapa haka" means: Māori performing arts, including song, dance, and synchronized movement.. Register: neutral, standard English, usable in most everyday contexts. A common non-native mistake is to use the word in the wrong register, or to assume one fixed meaning when it is actually polysemous; always check the surrounding register and the audience before producing it yourself. In formal writing, prefer a neutral synonym or a short descriptive phrase, and use this word only when you have heard or read it being used naturally in a comparable context.
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#2·Apr 27, 2026
(NZ, countable) A group performing these arts.
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For specific readers
Why is this section here?
Slang is read by different audiences for very different reasons. The For parents view re-explains the term in plain, non-judgemental language so a caregiver can understand what their child means without needing the surrounding subculture. The For English learners view focuses on register (when it's safe to use), formal alternatives, and common mistakes — what a textbook won't teach you.
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Related terms
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Semantically related
- kaupapa67%
(NZ) Among the Māori people, a philosophy or set of principles.
- pukana62%
(NZ) A contorted face made by a haka performer.
- ka pai62%
A Maori phrase meaning good, fine, or well done — used in New Zealand English as an expression of approval or encouragement. 'Ka pai' is one of the most commonly borrowed Maori phrases in New Zealand English and is used across contexts by all communities, from classrooms to workplaces to casual conversation. Pronounced approximately 'kah pie.' Its use reflects New Zealand's genuine bicultural engagement with te reo Maori.
- pukana60%
A Maori term describing the intense, wide-eyed, tongue-protruding facial expression performed during a haka — the traditional Maori war dance and ceremonial performance. The pukana is not just a silly face; it's a deliberate, disciplined expression of ferocity, spiritual intensity, and challenge directed at opponents or audiences. Female haka performers do it with wide eyes and extended tongue; male performers often combine it with rolled eyes. Seen globally whenever the All Blacks perform before a rugby match, the pukana is one of the most recognizable elements of Maori performance.