Pop goes key part of our rugby history

Richie McCaw and team do the haka. Photo / Getty Images

It's been sung by the Spice Girls and now the haka, made world famous by the All Blacks, could soon feature on a Kiwi pop CD.

The Herald on Sunday understands a recording of the Ka Mate haka is going to be included on The Great NZ Songbook Souvenir Edition, due to be released in August.

Album creator Murray Thom said the songlist would be finalised in a week and would not confirm if the haka would be on the album.

"If we have a production that the haka features on I'd be happy to talk about that. We don't have that today," he said.

But industry insiders are tipping it.

The haka has its origins with Ngati Toa chief Te Rauparaha from the 1820s.

However, iwi members were not able to claim copyright as "no one owns it", said intellectual property expert Earl Gray. He doubted any iwi would have the right to royalties.

"No one has a registered trademark for the Ka Mate haka. The reality is that it's just become part of the culture," he said.

Former All Black captain Sir Wilson Whineray said though the haka was important for our rugby history "it goes much deeper than [rugby] for Maoridom".