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31 years in the making: How James Fisher-Harris helped bring the Warriors' first haka to life
Stephen Foote • August 11th, 2026 1:31 pm
Warriors haka | Photo: Photosport
If it hadn't been for the Warriors' season-best performance against the Panthers, it may well have been the debut of their fearsome new haka which stole the show at Mt Smart on Friday.
The club celebrated the NRL's Indigenous Round by unveiling the haka to an enraptured packed house at Go Media Stadium, setting the tone for a blistering start against the four-time premiers en route to a milestone victory.
The haka was composed by Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei's Joe Pihema, who was shoulder tapped by the club a year ago with the assignment for what came to be known as 'Ngā Tamatoa'.
Pihema said there were some key aspects he wanted to ensure were included for "real value", chief among those honouring the land upon which the club has been built and providing another critical point of cultural identity which had previously been absent.
"That particular site is an old pa site where one of the big Tūpuna personalities, Maki, lived," Pihema told Sport Nation's Scotty & Izzy.
"Ngāti Whātua is one iwi that draws heavily on the whakapapa of Maki. I was wanting to strengthen up those tribal connections and to also delve into what is the Warriors' identity and where it's heading in the future.
"For the past 31 years, the haka was one aspect that probably hasn't been a visible part of their club, of their identity and culture. These were things that I wanted to start to pull in as a starting point."
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There was also consideration given to the impact it could have on the team's adrenaline stocks, as Pihema said he was conscious of not depleting the players prior to kickoff.
"It's also giving them something that was manageable and practical. Something that wasn't going to blow their guest tank at the beginning of the game.
"It was purposely written to be around about 35 to 40 seconds long."
That certainly wasn't an issue on Friday, as the Warriors exploded out of the gate to a quick 22-0 lead which essentially iced the contest against Ivan Cleary's troops.
Instrumental to the haka's cause was James Fisher-Harris, who Pihema says not only provided the impetus for the team to rehearse amid the demands of their travel schedule, but also provided the talismanic levels of mana needed to drive it.
James Fisher-Harris & Moses Leota | Photo: Photosport
"He was a key component in getting the haka to where it landed on Friday night," he explained.
"In the three-month period leading up, it became very difficult to line up schedules to get in a bit of practise time, and so it was actually James who led a lot of the in-house practising and sharpening. He was very key in terms of challenging the boys to get into the haka.
"Not only that, also the physical and the spiritual presence of James - being the visible leader of the haka and carrying that mantle. I think it made it more special.
"There was a reason I think it took 31 years to land on his leadership to actually arise and become that person who was going to unveil the very first haka for the Warriors."
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The big question now becomes - when will the Wahs faithful next see the haka?
While the official occasions may be limited, Pihema is confident the notoriously staunch Warriors faithful will take it under their wings and help establish it as a part of the club's character.
"I think it's looking at when are the right times - what's the purpose of the haka, how do you maintain the hirahiratanga, that importance and uniqueness around it?
"I don't think there's anything holding back the fanbase from having access to maybe the words and the actions. I know there are segments of the Warriors fans community that are just itching to want to learn the haka or elements of it.
"Who knows, it might be popping up on the grandstands."
Listen to the full interview below:
