An unprecedented haka at HEC Paris to celebrate the new academic year
To celebrate the start of its 2023 academic year, and just a few days before the Rugby World Cup kicks off in France, HEC Paris organized a spectacular haka celebration on Wednesday August 30, orchestrated by New Zealand player Joe Edwards. This unprecedented performance in Europe showcased the strength of the school's community and all the new students who have just arrived on Campus.
Auteur/Author of this article: Frédéric Voirin
An unprecedented performance in an european school
Alongside its inaugural lectures, in the run-up to the Rugby World Cup in France and the eagerly-awaited opening match between Les Bleus and the All Blacks, HEC Paris took an atypical approach to celebrate the start of the 2023 new academic year. The school asked New Zealand international player Joe Edwards to come and share with all its new promotions his passion for the haka, a traditional dance of Maori culture. Joe Edwards has been playing in the French league for 7 years, and currently plays on the 3rd row ("Number Eight") for the Rugby Club of Vannes.
Although this ritual, which punctuates the start of All Blacks matches, is well known to fans of the oval ball, and more widely performed in New Zealand, Australia and Polynesia, this is the first time it has been performed at a school in France... and even in Europe!
Julie Thinès, Executive Director of Pre-Experience for the Grande Ecole program at HEC Paris, humbly explains the reason for this unusual event: "We wanted to celebrate the new energy brought by our students and all the members of our community at the start of the new academic year". To this end, she asked her friend, professional rugby player Joe Edwards, to come to HEC campus and launch the new academic year with a positive, unifying impulse. And he happily agreed to share his sporting passion and Maori culture.
Joe Edwards enthusiastically shared his feelings with us ahead of his visit: "I'm coming to HEC Paris to share my culture with people, to explain this Maori story of a man saved by a woman, to enjoy a moment of celebration for the start of this new academic year, and also to inspire people ahead of the Rugby World Cup, in particular the opening match France vs. New Zealand."
Passing on culture with strength, pride and unity
After discovering the Jouy-en-Josas campus, Joe Edwards explained the ritual significance of this Maori dance to the HEC Paris students and staff gathered in front of the hall of honor.
The current "Number Eight" for Vannes explained that the Haka has its origins in a Maori legend, which expresses strength, pride and unity. This legend explains that the Sun God, Tama-nui-te-ra, and one of his wives, Hine-raumati, who embodies the essence of summer, had a son named Tane-rore. The Maori believe that the quivering of the air on a hot summer's day is a sign that Tane-rore is dancing for his mother. This light, rapid movement is the basis of all hakas, with the trembling hands of the performers representing Tane-rore's dance in particular. The New Zealand rugby player also reminded that the first hakas were originally created and performed by warriors as a war dance enriched with an ancestral shout to frighten opponents with aggressive facial expressions (bulging eyes, lashing out with the tongue), intimidating growls, while striking and waving their weapons. The second reason why these Maori warriors sang the Haka was for their own morale, courage and strength: they were invoking the god of war to help them win the battles.
The Haka performed by the members of the HEC Paris community in the balmy summer weather of Wednesday August 30, worthy of its original Maori legend, is a "Ka Mate". This is the most frequently played Haka by the All Blacks when they play against international teams. It is a ceremonial haka, written by Te Rauparaha, which is a celebration of life triumphing over death. Its author created the haka after narrowly escaping death at the hands of the enemy Ngāti Maniapoto and Waikato tribes by hiding in a cellar. When he emerged, rescued by a woman, he was greeted by light and a friendly tribal chief. The famous opening line "Ka mate, ka mate! ka ora! ka ora!" translates as "I might die! I might die! I could die! I can live! I can live!" And the last line, "Ā, upane, ka upane, whiti te ra! Hi!" translates as "one step up, another... the sun is shining! Get up!". Just like the new stage of life that is opening up for these students starting their first year at HEC Paris.
Joe Edwards explained that the haka is now mainly performed as a demonstration of respect ("mana" in Maori) to honor one or more people, as part of the rituals of meeting, weddings, funerals or when a visitor is welcomed into the community... Like at the start of a new academic year, for example!
The HEC Community rising to the challenge
After these explanations, the impressive 1.93-meter tall player performed his Ka Mate, making his powerful vocals resonate in the deafening silence of Jouy-en-Josas. His solitary but deeply embodied performance did impress the audience. Joe Edwards then launched his warmed-up audience into several collective rehearsals of the sung choreography of the traditional ceremonial haka, celebrating life like this newly-budding community within HEC Paris.
Far from equaling the world record of 7,000 set by the New Zealanders in 2017, a compact crowd of some 300 students from the Grande Ecole and MBA programs and HEC Paris staff gathered around 6.30pm on the main lawn of HEC Paris to take part in this unprecedented celebration.
With this collective exercise, and like the energy of its Maori master of ceremonies, the school marked the start of the new academic year with a spirit of unity and cohesion, and of course with a definitively good mood. All students and staff on campus, of all ages, wore broad smiles during the exercise, reinforcing this memorable, intergenerational event and creating a strong bond for the entire HEC community.
On September 8, when the France-New Zealand match kicks off, there's no doubt that the HEC community will experience the All Blacks' haka in a very special way. As for the outcome of the match, no one has yet dared to say, least of all Joe Edwards, whose heart is now in France!