The Black Sox have a special treat for Kiwi fans prepared for when they open their Softball World Cup campaign on home soil tomorrow with a new haka created specifically for them set to make its debut.
The New Zealand men's softball team have used Ngāti Toa's Ka Mate for much of their rich history but ahead of their quest for an eighth world title have had learned a new challenge for opponents.
"We've always done Ka Mate for a long time and taught ourselves or reached out to All Blacks and watched videos," 2017 world champion Thomas Enoka said.
"But to learn something for yourself and be taught by professionals is something even better."
The team was taught the haka by Israel Hawkins [Ngāti Kahungunu and Ngāti Tuwharetoa] and Huia Clayton [Te Arawa] and inside it are key themes important to the team such as legacy, identity and pride.
"We've been talking about legacy for a long time - the guys before us and then the guys that will come after us," Thomas said.
"So part of the words that go with it are about remembering the guys before us, draw strength from the guys before us and then pass it on to the guys coming ahead."
The haka was introduced to the team just in time for this year's World Cup at Rosedale Park in Auckland - a tournament delayed by the Covid-19 pandemic.
The pandemic has been a serious hinderance for the Black Sox since their disappointing fourth-place finish at the 2019 World Cup with last week's International Invitational Series their first Tests since playing in Prague three years ago.
After being separated at times through the pandemic, outfielder Ben Enoka, Thomas' older brother, said the haka has helped tighten the Kiwi squad for their campaign.
"We've had a couple of days to learn it and time down in Rotorua at the marae and we've come together and it's kind of connected us and it's quite special to have something that identifies us as a unit and a team.
"It's pretty special to us."
The team previewed the haka while they were in Rotorua but Ben believes tomorrow's stage will be a completely different experience.
"It was on the spot and some of the boys were a bit [surprised] but we'll be ready to go come Saturday against the Czechs."
The Black Sox come into the World Cup having won two of their five warm-up matches at last week's invitational with tomorrow's first game a chance to make up for a 3-2 defeat to the Czech Republic in Palmerston North - although Thomas isn't viewing it that way.
"What happened the week before doesn't matter," he said.
"What happens now is what matters the most."
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