'Bring it on': Clareburt taking Maori pride to Paris pool

A big win deserves a big celebration, and New Zealand swimmer Lewis Clareburt delivered at the Doha World Championships in February with eyes ablaze and tongue poked out in a Maori "pukana" after claiming the 400m individual medley title.

Clareburt will hope to have another chance to break out the pukana in the Paris pool and perhaps become the first Maori swimmer to win an Olympic medal.

Pukana often come at the end of a haka, a ceremonial Maori dance invariably linked with the New Zealand rugby team who perform them before international matches.

"It was to scare opponents, back in the day, in war," Clareburt told Reuters of the pukana.

"It's to show the challenge, essentially like, 'Bring it on!'

"I thought it was cool and I really wanted to put New Zealand's Maori culture on the map ... I feel like it's kind of my Usain Bolt celebration now."

'WILD THINGS'

Maori culture is well represented in New Zealand's Olympic swim team, with freestyle specialists Erika Fairweather and Taiko Torepe-Ormsby from the Ngai Tahu community.

About 900,000 people in New Zealand, or 17 per cent of the population, identified as Maori last year, according to government estimates.

While Maori culture is a strong part of New Zealand's identity, the nation's centre-right government has pledged to wind back some of the indigenous policies of previous administrations, including those promoting the official use of the Maori language.

The moves have triggered lawsuits and protests, with critics calling them the most significant step back for Maori rights in decades.

Some Maori athletes have also been critical, including players from a women's rugby team who generated headlines in March when they denounced the government during a haka before a match.

Clareburt