A Maori leader has backed Springbok coach Peter de Villiers’ comments on the haka being overused, saying it has been “hijacked by rugby people” for commercial purposes.
PETER LOVE: “The haka in our culture is something which is regarded as special and should not be bastardised by sport.”
De Villiers’ comments attracted over 270 responses on Stuff.co.nz yesterday, with opinion split on whether the haka was overused.
De Villiers voiced his opinion that overuse of the haka meant it was less respected at a powhiri for the visiting Rugby World Cup Springboks by Lake Taupo iwi Ngati Tuwharetoa at Opotaka, the so-called birthplace of Ka Mate, on Sunday.
Buck Shelford, who as captain helped revive the haka performed by the All Blacks before test matches, said it was a way of showing New Zealand’s culture.
“Peter [de Villiers] has probably seen more haka than the average Kiwi but he doesn’t have to watch it if he doesn’t like it.”
But Peter Love, a trustee of Te Atiawa’s Wellington Tenths Trust, defended de Villiers, saying the haka has been “hijacked by rugby people” for commercial purposes.
“I’m concerned our [Maori] culture is being abused by the overuse and inappropriateness of the haka when it is performed outside special occasions.
“The haka in our culture is something which is regarded as special and should not be bastardised by sport. Peter de Villiers is dead right when he says it is losing its respect.”
Mr Love said he did not follow rugby closely but his family had strong links to the game. His uncle, Sir Ralph Love, is a former NZ Maori Rugby Board chairman.
Mr Love did not agree with haka being performed spontaneously by “flash mob haka groups”. “The haka is a challenge, not something which is performed as an expression of delight.
“Who told those people they could do that? The haka is an orchestrated representation of our culture when it is used in an appropriate place but it is being abused.”
Maori Party MP Te Ureroa Flavell disagreed the haka was overused or the flash mob haka were inappropriate. “The young people are using these forums to do the haka exactly right – why not let them do it?”
Wikipedia
The most well-known haka is “Ka Mate“, attributed to Te Rauparaha, war leader of the Ngāti Toa tribe. The “Ka Mate” haka is classified as a haka taparahi – a ceremonial haka. “Ka Mate” is about the cunning ruse Te Rauparaha used to outwit his enemies, and may be interpreted as “a celebration of the triumph of life over death” (Pōmare 2006).
Te Rauparaha composed Ka Mate circa 1820 as a celebration of life over death after his lucky escape from pursuing Ngati Maniapoto and Waikato enemies. He had hidden from them in a food-storage pit, and climbed back into the light to be met by a chief friendly to him – Te Whareangi (the “hairy man”).
The haka as composed by Te Rauparaha begins with a chant:
- Kikiki kakaka kauana!
- Kei waniwania taku tara
- Kei tarawahia, kei te rua i te kerokero!
- He pounga rahui te uira ka rarapa;
- Ketekete kau ana to peru kairiri
- Mau au e koro e – Hi! Ha!
- Ka wehi au ka matakana,
- Ko wai te tangata kia rere ure?
- Tirohanga ngā rua rerarera
- Ngā rua kuri kakanui i raro! Aha ha!
Then follows the main body of the haka:
| Ka mate, ka mate! ka ora! ka ora!Ka mate! ka mate! ka ora! ka ora!Tēnei te tangata pūhuruhuruNāna nei i tiki mai whakawhiti te rā
Ā, upane! ka upane! Ā, upane, ka upane, whiti te ra! |
’Tis death! ‘tis death! (or: I may die) ’Tis life! ‘tis life! (or: I may live)’Tis death! ‘tis death! ’Tis life! ‘tis life!This is the hairy manWho brought the sun and caused it to shine
A step upward, another step upward! A step upward, another… the Sun shines! |
Ka Mate and rugby
Isaac Luke and Adam Blair of the New Zealand national rugby league team performing the Ka Mate.
Ka Mate is the most widely known haka in New Zealand and elsewhere because it has traditionally been performed by the All Blacks, New Zealand’s international rugby union team, as well as the Kiwis, New Zealand’s international rugby league team, immediately prior to test (international) matches. Since 2005 the All Blacks have occasionally performed another haka, “Kapa o Pango“.
Ownership of Ka Mate
Between 1998 and 2006, Ngati Toa attempted to trademark Ka Mate to prevent its use by commercial organisations without their permission – but in 2006 the Intellectual Property Office of New Zealand turned their claim down on the grounds that Ka Mate had achieved wide recognition in New Zealand and abroad as representing New Zealand as a whole and not a particular trader.In March 2011 The NZ Rugby Union came to an amicable agreement with the iwi not to bring the mana of the haka into disrepute.
In 2009, as a part of a wider settlement of grievences, the New Zealand government agreed to:
- “…record the authorship and significance of the haka Ka Mate to Ngāti Toa and … work with Ngāti Toa to address their concerns with the haka… [but] does not expect that redress will result in royalties for the use of Ka Mate or provide Ngāti Toa with a veto on the performance of Ka Mate…”
I think that this silly little dance is getting way too much attention.
Firstly whichever view you have on this, it is really stupid to comment negatively on a cultural matter that belongs to your hosts.
It is simply something that should not be done and is in poor taste.
Secondly the Haka is an integral part of the tradition of NZ rugby union and as such very much a part of the history of rugby union.
It should be respected by opposition teams and fans and seen as one of the unique and good things about rugby union, and as such protected for future generations.
All real rugby union fans should cherish those things that make rugby union the world’s best team game and that stand the game apart from others in a world that all too easily today disrespects tradition and wants change for the sake of mindless instant gratification.
The History and the words are interesting…
… even MORE interesting:
Mr Love said he did not follow rugby closely…
As far as I’m concerned, that says it all!
PdV is reg. Elke tweede poepol en sy buddies doen nou ‘n haka by elke moontlike geleentheid wat hulle kan skep. Jy gaan winkelsentrum toe en ‘n ‘flash mob’ (spul skoolkinders) loop deur die sentrum en doen die haka om elke hoek en draai.
Jy kan omtrent nie meer deur die dorp loop of ‘n TV aansit sonder om in Haka te sien nie. Op RWC openingsaand in Auckland is daar seker 100 Haka’s gedoen. Elke bleddie skool en gehuggie het ‘n haka in die strate gedoen. Vele daarvan gebeeldsaai op TV.
Luister ek respekteer die Maori kultuur en het waardering vir die Haka en wat dit verteenwoordig maar te veel van ‘n goeie ding en dit raak ‘n onding.
Net omdat jy van iets hou moet dit nie in elke persoon se gesig druk nie. PdV het bloot aangedui dat hy voel die haka ding word oordoen en hy is reg. Dit het heeltemal hand uitgeruk.
@ McLook:
Its the world cup.
Everybody was gatvol in SA last year during the soccer WC with Vuvuzela blowing going on all day and all night in the suburbs.
See it as part of the WC spirit in NZ that will dissipate after the competition.
@ tight head:
You are without a doubt correct. It does irritate me when I allow it too; mostly I just ignore it and eat my biltong. I am just confirming that PdV has a valid point. The vuvuzela is banned (as far as I know) at rugby games here in NZ.
There is talk that even scottish bagpipes are going to be banned as RWC games.
Who makes these decisions and based on what? Why does the haka have untouchable/unmentionable status? PdV was not criticizing he was just stating the obvious after being asked his opinion about the haka.
Mclook, its great to have some perspective from the ground. Before the WC, how many times did you see the Haka performed?
Whether Peter de Villiers has a valid point or not is totally irrelevant!
It still does not give Snormonstertjie license to make a public judgment on the issue or on a cultural aspect of New Zealand and the Pacific Nations.
A simple guard on the mouth, is all that is asked for, expected… REQUIRED!
@ Lion4ever:
Almost never. Once in 6 months or so when some Maori cermony or welcome are scheduled at work for new students or a new Maori staff member. Just today I saw 5 haka’s performed all at different places here in my local area.
@ grootblousmile@8: From what I gather on the issue is that the Springboks visited a cultural place where they got some background info about the haka and what it means. PdV was pretty appreciative about it all when asked what he tought of it. He then added that he think if it’s overdone it will lose it’s impact. I agree with that; it is overdone at the moment and it is losing impact. It’s almost like murders and crime in SA (when I still lived there) you saw and heard so much about it you just switch off after a while. I switch off when I see a haka.
10 @ McLook:
He had himself roped into a no-win situation then and the prudent thing to do was to either just praise it or say that it’s not his place to make a judgment on a New Zealand cultural aspect.
Does this now give open licence to attack South African culture?
Whether wanted or not, the Bokke coach has the responsibility to act as ambassador for South Africa.
If this was indeed the first blabber by a coach who’s never been under scrutiny about his wayward mouth, then I would have understood. But in Snor’s case it simply is’nt… it was bound to be reported, and scoffed at.
@ grootblousmile@11:
Fair enough. PdV is a bit naive in terms of PC behaviour. The media look for opportunities to draw remarks from him because it gives them a story.
They obviously saw a opporunity to get a response in this situation. PdV stepped right into it and he should be more aware. I am as irritated with him as the next Springbok supporter but apart from that (and maybe that is not the real issue here) fact is the haka is being overdone at the moment.
I don’t think he meant to critize. The media is blowing it out of proportion because it makes a good story.
McLook wrote:
McLook wrote:
And worst off all is that the anti Peter de Villiers contingent in South Africa saw a opening to attack Peter again. No that many of our own Rugby Talk bloggers start believing that somehow Peter has done something right we see another gap to attack his person. Triple e said on Facebook or was it here , that Peter have the utmost respect from players like Victor and John. I think he is a great team member in this Springbok team. And yes we mightnot win it but he is just as loyal to his players as Jake White could dream to be.
Blowing Vuvuzelas was part of our new nations culture and think back how every Tom Dick and Harry threw tantrums about it. Just like we send them to hell so can the New Zealand people do but Peter had the right to utter those words.
superBul wrote:
and if that upsets them , great for him. Pshycology or something like that, let them lose fokus.
13 @ superBul:
It’s actually a bit more to do with the Anti-Stupidity contingent…. rather than the Anti Peter de Villiers contingent.
I am a member of the Anti-Stupidity Contingent…. Peter is NOT!
@ Loosehead:
@ tight head:
@ grootblousmile:
Which came first, Maori culture, or Rugby? Who has been using the Haka the longest? The AB’s or Maori warriors?
I was fortunate enough to visit NZ during the WC(Actually met ndugane and JP in a bar), and went to a Maori villiage during our stay.
The “H” and “K” are the first and second letters in the Maori language. The word Haka actually means, breathing fire. How many of those flash mob kids konws that?
Going on a tour through the villiage and learning about their culture, then seeing a traditional Haka performed by 200 Maori boys and men from that area, I got a HEAP load of respect for the Haka, and Maori culture.
It is NOT a silly little dance… you see 100-200, 110kg pissed off-looking Maoris doing this, you shi*t your pants a little.
The culture does not belong to the hosts… the entire pack is predominantly European, so is the captain and coach… it would be as cultural if a bunch of Blou Bulle started to do a Zulu war dance.
The Haka should be respected, yes… but not as a part of Rugby, but as part of a culture which we all claim to know, but are actually wholly ignorant of.
And yes, I agree with Div, it is being used too often, too much. But I suppose the REAL problem is actually the insane amount of rugby being played…
@ McLook:
If they banned the bagpipes, that would smack of favouritism of one culture over another….and that is not acceptable. At what stage does something become culture, the vuvuzela has been blown in the townships for many years so it is debatable…what right have they got to ban it…just another point of view. Love took de Villiers comments out of context. The last thing in de Villiers mind was to protect Maori culture. Love too displays arrogance as an iconoclast who wants to own the haka in his own way, if young people are spontaneously doing the haka on the streets of New Zealand, what better way to preserve a tradition. All Love should be doing is spreading the education on what the haka actually means to the Maori people. Storm in a teacup….people aren’t killing each other, let them say what they like. But banning the bagpipes could get my maternal Scottish blood stirring!!! f*ckem I say, leave the bag pipes alone.
@ Greenpoint-Gunner:
Hang on a minute about the Zulu war dance. During the 2nd world war the rallying cry of the South African soldiers was “Usuthu” which is the challenge that the Impi’s gave before they attacked. Natal Carbineers sings a song “Jeolele Mama” (lit: Look at me Mother) which is part of their culture and tradition, this REgiment is 156 years old. The Zulu culture has been inculcated in white South Africans lives for many many years…it is just not so evident today. I remember correcting Zulu chaps in our office when they used slang Zulu and for wanting to speak English all the time…it is your duty to preserve your culture (This is where Love makes his fundamental error, he wants to preserve it in his way). This is the reason that I speak Afrikaans wherever and whenever I can now that I live in England and when I am back in South Africa I probably speak more Afrikaans than English….my home language….I am intensely aware of my culture and its traditions and what a wonderful culture Afrikanerdom has. My cradle language was Zulu and I learned this before any other….to the extent that they took my Zulu nanny was taken away from me, so I could learn to speak English….the lingua franca then with my young black friends was Afrikaans as this was universally understood.
Noli Illigitimi Carborundum.
@ 4man:
the fact is just this PdeV was righ end of the story
19 @ superBul:
Says who?
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