What haka movements teach us about living our purpose
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During my workshops, I talk a lot about your purpose, your WHY, and how to find it. The key is going from purpose to action.
This became clearer to me after different participants asked me the same question several times during haka workshops. I have learned from my Māori teacher that the emphasis of the movement is on the right side of the body. You stomp with your right foot on the ground. During a battle cry, you hold your arms in front of your face with your right arm on top of your left arm. And more movements are done from left to right.
I once asked my Māori teacher about this, and he told me that whenever you enter a Marae (the courtyard in front of a Māori meeting House (a Wharenui)), you do this with your left foot first. No other explanation was given to me.
Left-right bias
According to Nicol Tadema, there is a Left-right bias. We prefer information and movements that flow from left to right. Nicol Tadema writes in her book 101 Beïnvloedingstechnieken (currently only available in Dutch) that our brain interprets a movement from left to right as an act of advancing or progression. Anything from right to left is considered unnatural and going backward. We (in the West) read from left to right. Energy flows from negative to positive. We feel a sense of comfort and trust in things that go from left to right.
What struck me is that, in Christianity, when making the sign of the cross, you go from the left shoulder to the right shoulder.
A couple of weeks ago, I met someone who could read the lines on your hand. He told me that you always read from the right-hand. The lines on this hand represent your current situation and what will happen if you continue with your current actions. These lines tend to change. The lines on your left hand do not change. It is your compass, your purpose.
Tikanga Māori
I have not found any information about why there’s an emphasis on the right side during haka in Tikanga Māori. This is Māori protocol (or customs) for different rituals in Māori culture. The only reference to a left-right movement occurs during a Tohi, which can be considered a Māori baptism ceremony in which the child is first held in the left hand and then in the right.
Tapu
In Māori cosmology and Tikanga, the right (Tika) side of the body is associated with Tapu (sacredness). It is considered the Mana side. It stands for prestige, authority, leadership, action, order, strength, and sacred function.
Noa
According to Māori culture, the left side is associated with Noa, meaning ordinary or neutral. It balances the right. It is grounding and is for support, balance, and receptivity.
From left to Right in haka
The haka is a sacred ritual of the Māori. It represents strength, courage, identity, and unity. More about the haka can be found here and here.
The right hand and foot tend to initiate major gestures, striking with Mana and presence.
In haka, leading with the right foot or arm and initiating movements from left to right reflects Tapu and the sacred energy. When actions in haka move from left to right, this can represent a transition from ordinary to sacred, from potential to action. It aligns with a natural, respectful progression in ritual movement for traditional energy flows.
In Weaponry
Māori Weaponry (Mau Rākau) includes the Taihaha (spear). This weapon is wielded with the right hand forward, symbolizing control and sacred action. The left hand supports, again balancing the sacred with the practical.
How about entering the Marae with the left foot first?
No widely recognized Māori custom or protocol mandates entering a Marae with your left foot first. But entering with the left could symbolize stepping into the Noa (ordinary/neutral), leaving the ordinary world behind before entering the sacred domain. I can also think that you do not enter a Marae with a lot of authority and strength, but rather respectfully and with humility, especially as a guest (Manuhiri). If you are visiting an Iwi (tribe) and its Marae, it is best to ask them for specific protocols regarding directionality or left-right symbolism.
Going from purpose to action
For me, going from left to right in haka means going from purpose to action. This reflects life as well. It does not really make sense to start with many actions (things) without knowing who you are or where you want to go. It’s a waste of time and resources. Reflection can help.
-> Reading tip: How Core Reflection can help you to get further
This is the first step toward discovering your purpose, your WHY. It is your contribution and its effect on the world. A WHY is always positive, never-ending, and action-oriented. It will help you take the right actions and move forward.
Ready to move from purpose into action?
Discover your WHY, your inner compass, and let it guide your next powerful step.
We offer WHY discovery sessions in Dutch, English, French, and German. Contact us today for a FREE intake session.
What’s your first step from left (purpose and intention) to right (action)? Let me know in the comment box below. I, and other readers of this article, look forward to reading from you!
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Have you seen an error in this article? Let me know! I am grateful to learn more about Tikanga Māori.
Sources:
-Nicol Tadema, 101 beïnvloedingstechnieken
-Hirini Moko Mead, Tikanga Māori
