Māori dad teaching his toddler the Haka steps is too adorable for anyone to handle

As indigenous Māori Haka chants recently echoed in New Zealand’s parliament, several people from the island nation are taking them to social media as well. The indigenous Māori people of New Zealand hold the traditional dance in high regard. That is the reason several Māori families are encouraging their younger generation to proudly wear their culture on their sleeves. Similarly, a dad recently became an overnight sensation on the internet for teaching his toddler son “kapa haka.” The one-year-old’s mom, Hope Lawrence—who goes by @hopeylawrence on TikTok—shared the heartwarming moment, showing the little dancer grooving to the historically significant beats.

In the widely circulating video, the kid, donning a white casual outfit, tried to imitate his dad’s moves. Meanwhile, the father, in all black, can be seen taking the Haka very seriously. As part of the first move, the fit dad brought his arms to his face. His 18-month-old son hilariously tried to do the same but accidentally put his arms on his face, making it impossible for him to see. “POV: Haka practice with dad,” the text overlay on the footage provided the context for its 57 million viewers, including those living outside New Zealand.

When the Māori dad finally reminded his son to open his eyes, the toddler’s energy levels astoundingly changed. With the one-year-old getting all charged up, what followed next brought the house down. A tear-jerking moment unfolded as the one-year-old chanted loudly with all his might, inspiring his father to join in and create a touching scene. Moreover, the passionate toddler from the indigenous community put all his efforts into the rhythmic gestures with wide eyes. The son-and-dad duo’s dance moves were well-coordinated and struck a chord with those watching it online.

They aptly performed the stomping, gesture variations, and elements of leaps and jumps. “Teach them while they are young to ensure our culture is preserved and passed down through generations,” the caption along with the footage emphasized. Among the reactions to their one-minute-and-six-seconds solid performance, @kvon.fresh commented, “If it weren’t for TikTok, I may never have been exposed to Māori culture. I can’t even count how many Haka performances I’ve watched—they make me feel truly empowered.” “The Haka is incredibly powerful! Watching a young child learning it brings the experience to an entirely new level,” @miss.c_aus added. “This is not part of my culture, but every time I see the Haka, I feel deeply emotional, proud, and empowered,” @superwomanstrong11 lauded.

Another such video showed a whānau performing a passionate and emotional haka for a daughter prior to her final home volleyball match at college. The incident was reported in April last year following a post on TikTok by @kazzieet. The inspiring footage managed to garner over 4 million likes and 24.8 million views at the time. "Grateful for my whānau in honoring me with the haka for my last home game," the caption read.  

You can follow Hope Lawrence (@hopeylawrence) on TikTok for more cultural and wholesome content.