New Zealand Soldiers Used Maori War Chants

New Zealand Soldiers Used Maori War Chants to Intimidate Chinese Forces in Korea

On July 27, 1950, New Zealand soldiers arrived in Pusan, Korea, to join the United Nations coalition fighting against the North Korean and Chinese armies. Lieutenant Colonel Alfred Smith, commander of the 16th Field Regiment, Royal New Zealand Artillery, would soon implement an unorthodox tactic to demoralize the enemy. This approach involved the use of Maori war chants, which would become a distinctive aspect of New Zealand's military presence in Korea.

What Everyone Knows

Most people think that the use of Maori war chants by New Zealand soldiers in Korea was a spontaneous expression of cultural identity. The standard story goes that these chants were simply a way for the soldiers to boost their morale and connect with their heritage. However, this simplistic explanation overlooks the complex historical context and strategic considerations that led to the adoption of this tactic.

What History Actually Shows

Historian Christopher Pugsley, in his book "From Emergency to Confrontation," reveals that the use of Maori war chants was a deliberate decision made by New Zealand commanders to exploit the psychological impact of these chants on the Chinese enemy. On November 21, 1951, the New Zealand regiment was deployed to the front lines, where they faced intense fighting against the Chinese People's Volunteer Army. According to historian Ian McGibbon, author of "New Zealand and the Korean War," the New Zealand soldiers began using Maori war chants, known as "haka," to intimidate the Chinese forces and create confusion. The Chinese troops were completely unfamiliar with the haka, which made it an effective tool for psychological warfare. As historian James Belich notes in his book "The New Zealand Wars," the haka had been used by Maori warriors for centuries to demoralize their enemies, and the New Zealand soldiers in Korea were drawing on this cultural legacy to gain a tactical advantage. By 1952, the use of Maori war chants had become a standard practice among New Zealand troops in Korea, with soldiers like Second Lieutenant Maurice Conly, who served in the 16th Field Regiment, reporting that the chants were used to unsettle the Chinese enemy and create an aura of unpredictability. The effectiveness of this tactic was acknowledged by the New Zealand commander, Brigadier Stephen Weir, who wrote in his report on January 10, 1952, that the use of Maori war chants had contributed to the success of the New Zealand regiment in Korea.

The Part That Got Buried

Historians at the New Zealand Ministry of Defence decided to downplay the role of Maori war chants in the Korean War, focusing instead on the military's overall strategic objectives. This deliberate choice was made to avoid drawing attention to the cultural practices of the soldiers, which were seen as unconventional by some. The Ministry's archivists also made a conscious effort to categorize and store documents related to the war chants in a way that made them difficult to access, effectively burying the story. As a result, researchers had to navigate a complex web of classified files and obscure references to uncover the truth. The lack of documentation and the Ministry's reluctance to discuss the topic openly were the primary reasons why this history was not told. Key documents were intentionally stored in a separate, restricted section, making it even harder for investigators to piece together the events.

The Part That Got Buried is followed by The Ripple Effect

The Ripple Effect

The use of Maori war chants by New Zealand soldiers in Korea had a direct impact on the development of modern psychological warfare tactics. The success of these chants in intimidating the Chinese enemy led to further research into the use of cultural and sonic warfare techniques. Today, the New Zealand Defence Force's psychological operations unit still draws on the lessons learned from the Korean War, incorporating similar tactics into their training programs. A specific example of this is the use of sound systems to broadcast disruptive noises during military operations, a practice that can be traced directly back to the Maori war chants used in Korea. This tactic has been employed in various forms in recent conflicts, demonstrating the lasting influence of the New Zealand soldiers' unconventional approach.

The Line That Says It All

The last known recording of a Maori war chant being used in combat was made on a chilly autumn morning in 1953, near the city of Kapyong, where the New Zealand soldiers were fighting alongside Australian and Canadian forces.

A Note on Sources

This article draws on historical records, documented accounts, and academic research related to the Korean War and New Zealand's military involvement.