Haka against antisemitism ‘scares off’ pro-Palestinian rally

NOMI KALTMANN speaks to the Christian pastor who organised the event to trump a pro-Palestinian rally slated for the same venue.

Two weeks ago, on the steps of Auckland's Aotea Centre, New Zealand's premier performing arts venue, a dramatic scene unfolded — hundreds of Māori men stood encircled by New Zealand and Israeli flags.

The assembled men performed the Haka, a traditional Māori war dance renowned internationally through its association with New Zealand’s Rugby team, the All Blacks, characterised by powerful gestures, facial expressions, and rhythmic Māori chants.

The performance quickly captured international attention and spread widely across the internet.

The Haka was coordinated under the leadership of controversial New Zealand multimillionaire Brian Tamaki, a Christian pastor and political activist known for his conservative religious views, and for being the founder of Destiny Church.

With the active participation of hundreds of individuals, mainly Māori bikers from his church and affiliated social welfare programs, Tamaki arranged the Haka with minimal notice.

“I decided it was time to stand up to the antisemitism that was spreading,” Tamaki told The Jewish Independent. “I am totally opposed to Hamas and Hezbollah. I believe it’s important to be on the right side of history and to condemn what happened in October.”

After his inaugural visit to Israel in May, Tamaki, a lifelong Christian, felt inspired to orchestrate the Haka upon discovering that Auckland's Aotea Centre, one of Auckland’s central locations, was slated to host a pro-Palestinian rally.

“I decided to outmanoeuvre them [the pro-Palestine rally organizers] and got there two hours before they were supposed to turn up,” he said.

Tamaki extended an invitation to hundreds of Māori men, urging them to turn out in force. "I rallied all my men and their bikes with just a two-day notice.”

Regrettably for Tamaki, a protest he was hoping to counter did not materialise. "When the [pro-Palestinian protest] leaders caught wind of my name in the nationwide advertising and marketing, they were familiar with the Tainui indigenous movement, and they grew apprehensive and opted to withdraw," he explained.

"When they saw my name on the advertising, they didn’t want to tango. The online social media interaction was incredible. A lot of people asking why did you capitulate to Brian Tamaki?," he said, his tone reflecting a mix of amusement and satisfaction as he recounted the widespread online reactions to the cancelled Palestinian rally and the unexpected twist in the situation.

Māori groups have not directed their support exclusively to Israel during this conflict. Other Hakas have been performed in solidarity with Palestinians, some of whom have been  comparing their plight to the colonisation of New Zealand.

What propelled the footage from Auckland to go viral? According to Tamaki, “There is a power in the Haka. I think it went viral because people pick that up.”

After the footage went viral, Israel’s ambassador to New Zealand, Ran Yaakoby, invited Tamaki to a meeting with some of the community’s Jewish leaders, “They were just so thankful and impressed and I said, ‘you cannot be treated like this. It’s not right. No one should be treating or hating on another race’.”

Leon Samuels, a 45-year-old Māori man hailing from Tauranga, a city in New Zealand's North Island, joined in performing the Haka. He deemed it crucial to express solidarity with Israel.

“We perform the Haka with the spirit of God,” he said. While he never been to visit Israel, he feels spiritually connected to it, and felt compelled to join in support, noting “we will stand up for Israel in our nation and around the world.”