The quest to create an Australian haka
The quest of former NRL player Dean Widders to create a pre-match dance drawing on Indigenous culture has been captured in a powerful new film.
Dean Widders, centre, and members of the Bangarra dance troupe in ‘Araatika: Rise Up!’.
It’s a key pre-game moment in any footballing contest featuring New Zealand: a stirring Maori haka designed to engender team unity, channel pride and hopefully intimidate opponents.
For former National Rugby League star Dean Widders, the haka raised a question: why didn’t Australia have a similar cultural performance?
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