This is a recent issue which means more to me than most of you, but I'd still appreciate your opinions.
The Haka is a New Zealand sporting, (and cultural,) tradition. It is mostly performed before big international games, so I'll be concentrating more on the sporting side of it.
The Haka is a Maori war dance, used to intimidate opponents. Those of you who know a bit about rugby will know that it is synonymous with our national team, the All Blacks, although some other teams choose to do the same. Regardless, the message of the Haka dosn't really carry the same message as it does with the All Blacks as we suck at everything but rugby.
There are mixed feelings in the international community for it. Some think it's a joke, (Americans, I'm looking at you,) some respect it and some even market it, (Italians decided to add the Haka to an ad for a new car - no-one told them that women don't do the Haka,) regardless, they still let us do it, which is cool.
Mostly there is one Haka, "Ka'Mate" which can be viewed, (crappy video from a French test a while ago, led by AB captain Tana Umanga,) here.
This one is the most known one, and is subject to a lot of ridicule, mostly from the Aussies. When the NZ basketball team went to America for a big international competition they decided to do this Haka too. since NZ sucks at Basketball the US sporting headlines were "They can't play, but they can dance!" The next year when we came back we came third, (while America came fifth or something,) the apologetic headlines were "They can play and they can dance!"
Recently the Aussies have been having a go at it, editing in to a video of the Haka the All Blacks wearing handbags, (related to the fact that Tana Umanga had hit team mate Chris Masoe over the head with one when they were a bit wasted at the pub.) Since we've never minding a bit of ribbing from the Aussies we all had a good laugh and the All Blacks threashed them the next weekend.
Lately at the Try Nations between NZ, Australia and South Africa th All Blacks have opted for a different Haka - "Kapa o Pango" - this is where this gets problematic. but before I go on, here's a recent video of it here, (last weekends game between NZ and South Africa.)
The main problem with this is the throat-cutting motion near the end. Some nay-sayers are complaining that this is too violent and intimidating.
News flash! It's a fucking war-dance! It's meant to be intimidating! the Haka has always been vicious, "Ka'mate" was written by Te Rauparaha, (who was a Maori Chief,) about his exploits down to the South Island to get Utu, (revenge,) on another tribe. He mercilously slaughtered them and ate the dead chiefs in front of the few captives he left alive. Nevertheless the translated words don't suggest this and it is really the actions that go with it which communicates the story - and people can interpret actions how they wish.
What's worse I feel, is that people are quite happy to insult it, ridicule it or capitalise off it, but when we perform it violently, (or whatever the fuck they're complaining about,) they find the need to complain! Well fuck that!
The game tonight is between Australia and New Zealand. No doubt we will still do the Haka, and relating to the debate at hand it will be "Kapa o Pango" and no doubt we will fucking thrash the Aussies again.
I'm interested in your guys' opinions. Do you think it's impressive or too violent? Do you think it's pointless or interesting and unique? (well... not quite - Fiji and Samoa do similar things, although it dosn't carry the same weight behind it.)
More importantly, do you think that those PC complainers should go fuck off about 'violent' actions in 'Kapa o Pango' or do you agree with them and reckon we should tone it down a bit?
Sorry for writing a lot, I am prone to these oubursts.
For recap: "Ka'Mate" - 'traditional' All Black Haka.
"Kapa o Pango" - new Haka.
The Haka is a New Zealand sporting, (and cultural,) tradition. It is mostly performed before big international games, so I'll be concentrating more on the sporting side of it.
The Haka is a Maori war dance, used to intimidate opponents. Those of you who know a bit about rugby will know that it is synonymous with our national team, the All Blacks, although some other teams choose to do the same. Regardless, the message of the Haka dosn't really carry the same message as it does with the All Blacks as we suck at everything but rugby.
There are mixed feelings in the international community for it. Some think it's a joke, (Americans, I'm looking at you,) some respect it and some even market it, (Italians decided to add the Haka to an ad for a new car - no-one told them that women don't do the Haka,) regardless, they still let us do it, which is cool.
Mostly there is one Haka, "Ka'Mate" which can be viewed, (crappy video from a French test a while ago, led by AB captain Tana Umanga,) here.
This one is the most known one, and is subject to a lot of ridicule, mostly from the Aussies. When the NZ basketball team went to America for a big international competition they decided to do this Haka too. since NZ sucks at Basketball the US sporting headlines were "They can't play, but they can dance!" The next year when we came back we came third, (while America came fifth or something,) the apologetic headlines were "They can play and they can dance!"
Recently the Aussies have been having a go at it, editing in to a video of the Haka the All Blacks wearing handbags, (related to the fact that Tana Umanga had hit team mate Chris Masoe over the head with one when they were a bit wasted at the pub.) Since we've never minding a bit of ribbing from the Aussies we all had a good laugh and the All Blacks threashed them the next weekend.
Lately at the Try Nations between NZ, Australia and South Africa th All Blacks have opted for a different Haka - "Kapa o Pango" - this is where this gets problematic. but before I go on, here's a recent video of it here, (last weekends game between NZ and South Africa.)
The main problem with this is the throat-cutting motion near the end. Some nay-sayers are complaining that this is too violent and intimidating.
News flash! It's a fucking war-dance! It's meant to be intimidating! the Haka has always been vicious, "Ka'mate" was written by Te Rauparaha, (who was a Maori Chief,) about his exploits down to the South Island to get Utu, (revenge,) on another tribe. He mercilously slaughtered them and ate the dead chiefs in front of the few captives he left alive. Nevertheless the translated words don't suggest this and it is really the actions that go with it which communicates the story - and people can interpret actions how they wish.
What's worse I feel, is that people are quite happy to insult it, ridicule it or capitalise off it, but when we perform it violently, (or whatever the fuck they're complaining about,) they find the need to complain! Well fuck that!
The game tonight is between Australia and New Zealand. No doubt we will still do the Haka, and relating to the debate at hand it will be "Kapa o Pango" and no doubt we will fucking thrash the Aussies again.
I'm interested in your guys' opinions. Do you think it's impressive or too violent? Do you think it's pointless or interesting and unique? (well... not quite - Fiji and Samoa do similar things, although it dosn't carry the same weight behind it.)
More importantly, do you think that those PC complainers should go fuck off about 'violent' actions in 'Kapa o Pango' or do you agree with them and reckon we should tone it down a bit?
Sorry for writing a lot, I am prone to these oubursts.
For recap: "Ka'Mate" - 'traditional' All Black Haka.
"Kapa o Pango" - new Haka.
[Blinking eyes thing]
Steam: http://steamcommunity.com/id/tzyon
Steam: http://steamcommunity.com/id/tzyon