By Rebecca J Evans, Auckland University of Technology and Thomas Watts, Auckland University of Technology
Looking back over 2025, one of the most powerful events for New Zealanders was the reclaiming of the Guinness World Record for the world’s largest haka at Eden Park.
The crowd was diverse. Some were deeply committed, while others were simply excited to dance. Either way, footage from the day clearly signals a growing engagement with te reo Māori (the Māori language) within mainstream Aotearoa New Zealand.
