“That’s the main goal, to spread our Māori culture-wide, not only in New Zealand but all over the world. That’s the main goal of the song, and when we go to France to entertain the audience, it’s a big deal,” Hall says.
Because the Rugby World Cup is being held in France next month, French words were also included in the song.
“The sentence in the song is about an argument we were having with a Uber driver, and I asked him, ‘What is your word for annoying?’ And that is where it came from,” Ruha says.
“Integrating languages from around the world is something that our ancestors would do often, therefore, we as Māori are from the world.
“We were just being mischievous to extend our culture to all aspects of this world of ours.”
The name of the song, Kia Kino Nei Hoki, is used in Ka Mate, the haka of Te Rauparahā, to rally this nation behind the All Blacks.
“The people are familiar with that phrase, and it will draw the audience into the song through the phrase, Kia Kino Nei Hoki, and a memory will arise that it is related to the haka, wanting to be a part of the song,” says Hall.
“They are words to entice the performer, the player, and then saying to themselves; If you want to hit me, you better bring it, boy, or you better bring it, girl. You better make sure your poi is on because I am coming with everything that I have,” Ruha says.
