Baschurch pupils learn Maori tradition
It's traditionally performed by the New Zealand rugby team in the build-up to a match to strike fear into their opponents.
But this week it was the turn of youngsters from a school in Shropshire to get their game faces on as they performed the legendary Maori Haka.
Baschurch Primary School received a visit from Maori TV presenter Tupoutama Paki who taught pupils the dance.
The Haka is a traditional ancestral war dance of the Maori people of New Zealand.
After each class performed the dance individually, the whole school performed it together at the end of the session.
Lorraine Knight, school business manager, said: "We have started a link with a school in New Zealand – West Melton Primary School, near Christchurch.
"It came about after a family from Baschurch emigrated to New Zealand last year and now a family from there has come to Baschurch.
"We have been doing a focus week where we have been learning about the Maoris and the history and geography of New Zealand. The children have been applying it to their work.
"We received a visit from a TV presenter, who is also a Maori, who has been teaching each class the dance one at a time.
"At the end of the day all the children came together to perform one big dance.
"The children loved it. Some knew about it by watching the rugby.
"The teachers prepared the children before he came and they did some practicing beforehand.
"It gave all the children a good chance to learn it and they had a lot of fun."
Meanwhile, the school raised more than £1,000 for Sport Relief by taking part in a goal scoring competition.
The BBC's Sport Relief TV appeal which included the live reunion of Kylie Minogue and Jason Donovan and a comedy appearance by David Beckham raised a record £51.2 million last week.
