Maori in Aotearoa used haka and waiata in communal gatherings, often inducing collective altered states through chanting and synchronized movement to connect with ancestors. Used in war, welcome, and mourning. It mattered for cultural resilience post-colonization.

Maori haka and ritual performances in New Zealand since 1300 inspired contemporary Indigenous Pacific poets to blend ecstatic performance with written verse. This fusion of oral traditions and poetic expression reflects deep connections to identity, land, and cultural heritage.