The magic of the Haka.

[Gob]

One of the great joys of the forthcoming World cup wil be watching the All Blacks do the Haka, a spine tingling display of agression, power and masculinity (so few masculine displays left in this PC world). I fucking love it.

New Zealand's war dance must be here to stay despite squabbles that have tainted magic of a bewitching ritual.




In the 1970s the haka was a joyous celebration of rugby's ritual. I was one of the kids in the stands bewitched by these men in black and their strange tribal dance from a far-off land. Who had the bigger eyes, them or me? You went home and stomped up the carpet. You rattled the china and menaced the dog. You stuck out your tongue and you chanted. Ka mate, ka mate, ka ora, ka ora. No idea what it meant, but it sounded like thunder.

Then the squabbles started. The All Blacks started taking themselves very seriously and turned the haka into a weapon. Other teams responded and advanced. The New Zealander Norm Hewitt and England's Richard Cockerill all but came to blows in 1997. Maori claimed cultural rights. Then the International Rugby Board imposed a 10-metre no-go zone on either side.

How did something so wonderful become just another piece of property for men to squabble over? Who stole the magic?


Richard Cockerill of England confronts Norm Hewitt of New Zealand during the haka before an All Blacks tour match at Old Trafford in Manchester in 1997. Photo: Getty Images

Well, no one stole the magic. I am standing in Te Papa, Wellington's wonderful museum. My kids are like any kids now or then. They are part of the dance, ready to go to war. Lisa Reweti, the great, great, great, great, great, great, great granddaughter of chief Te Rauparaha, the little man with the big nose who hid in a pit and then sang the haka, is teaching the moves. This is a lot better than school.

Will someone please make Reweti the minister in charge of the haka. Everyone has to do what Reweti says, including the International Rugby Bores. What does Reweti think of the idea of banning sides from advancing on the haka and the IRB fining Australia's women %1000 for moving on up at the last women's World Cup?

What does Reweti think of IRB chief executive Mike Miller, who said: "It is a traditional part of the game. It would be a shame if people said: 'Let's do away with it or felt the need to do some response that took away from the power and the dignity of it'."

"People should advance on the haka," says Reweti. "It adds to the drama.

"I would prefer to see them up in each other's faces. Maori will respect you more if you come back with something.

"Rugby is a physical confrontation. Someone might take a swipe but I've seen that happen at a welcoming ceremony. The guy who was the warrior was in a really bad mood one day and he donged a German dude on the head with a patu [club]. You don't get cheeky to a warrior. Are you mental? He was not understanding."

The kids giggle and you realise how absurd this whole thing has become.

In 1906 the Welsh team responded to the haka by singing their national anthem. One hundred years later they planned to do the same thing. "Lack of respect," cried the All Blacks and refused to perform the haka on the pitch at the Millennium Stadium. They did their dance in their changing room instead. The All Blacks felt there had been a lack of respect but was there any historical justification for this?

"Whoever took that decision was being naughty. It is our tradition that the homeland goes last," says Reweti.

The All Blacks complain about a lack of respect if the David Campeses of this world play keepy-uppy in their own 22 while they are performing. Another Australian, Sam Scott Young, blew kisses and winked while they were at it. Ireland's Willie Anderson went eyeball to eyeball. Francois Pienaar took the 1995 Springboks team up to the front line. Cockerill looked up Hewitt's snout, hooker to hooker.

He said later: "Come on mate, let's have a go. It's a war dance after all, isn't it? It's a challenge. They want to smash you, we want to smash them. I think the haka's a great thing."

Reweti agrees with Cockerill. It is a war dance and it is designed to be as intimidating as possible.

Reweti reckons 'Buck' Shelford led a pretty good haka and also rates Taine Randell and Piri Weepu, the present leader, who was brought up through the Maori education system. "He's awesome. Piri can eat a whole box of chicken. He could eat a moa."

The kids giggle again. The moa is an extinct New Zealand bird with drumsticks the size of Jonah Lomu's legs.

The haka must be here to stay, says Reweti. It is one of rugby's great moments. Let the opponents advance. Let the home team sing the national anthem after the haka when the All Blacks are on their travels. Let England throw roses. Let Weepu glare and stick his tongue out.

It's tribal. And it's magic.

Visitors to New Zealand during the Rugby World Cup can learn the haka at Te Papa or by visiting Haka World in Rotorua.



Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-union/rugby ... z1XKYtN08g

[dales]

I prefer the magik of the HOOKAH

[Gob]

[dales]

i see a butt crack

[The Hen]

Yes. And not a particularly attractive one.

For the buttock's sake, I hope it comes with a nice personality.

[loCAtek]

So, all magic isn't bad, that's good to hear.

[The Hen]

I can not let this thread pass without sharing with you all ..... the Aussie Haka!

[rubato]

"...
How did something so wonderful become just another piece of property for men to squabble over? Who stole the magic?
... "

The Haka is a war dance from a culture where their best and most revered fighters were those who could run after the retreating enemy and cripple as many of them as possible so they could be tortured to death slowly.

Stop being such a pussy. The haka is about total physical dominance, brutality, and extreme violence. That is why it is powerful. That is how it works.


yrs,
rubato

[Timster]

"...
How did something so wonderful become just another piece of property for men to squabble over? Who stole the magic?
... "

The Haka is a war dance from a culture where their best and most revered fighters were those who could run after the retreating enemy and cripple as many of them as possible so they could be tortured to death slowly.

Stop being such a pussy. The haka is about total physical dominance, brutality, and extreme violence. That is why it is powerful. That is how it works.


yrs,
rubato

THAT was Gob's whole fucking point you mental midget!

Oh and you calling him a pussy is rich beyond words.

[Gob]

Thanks Timster, I have the fool on ignore, so missed that one.

Yet again our resident retard shows his comprehension is zero.

[loCAtek]

Stop being such a pussy. The haka is about total physical dominance, brutality, and extreme violence. That is why it is powerful. That is how it works.


yrs,
rubato

THAT was Gob's whole fucking point you mental midget!

The Gob is a Masculine Control Freak?

I knew that, but thanks for the confirmation.

[BoSoxGal]

@ Aussie Haka!!

[Gob]

A New Zealand Maori leader has backed controversial comments from South Africa coach Peter de Villiers that the haka is "overused", saying the traditional war dance has been "hijacked by rugby people".

Peter Love, trustee of an organisation which administers Maori reserves, told Fairfax Media that Maori culture was being "abused" and was especially unhappy with a wave of haka "flash mobs" surrounding the World Cup.

"I'm concerned our (Maori) culture is being abused by the overuse and inappropriateness of the haka when it is performed outside special occasions," Love told Fairfax, in comments reported today.


"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."

Love, whose uncle is a former New Zealand Maori Rugby Board chairman, added that haka flash mobs, including more than a dozen in recent weeks with one in Barcelona and another at the Sydney Opera House, were misguided.

"The haka is a challenge, not something which is performed as an expression of delight," he said.

"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."

De Villiers courted controversy when he said the face-pulling, foot-stamping dance and chant performed before rugby games by New Zealand, Fiji, Tonga and Samoa to intimidate opponents was becoming over-exposed.

"For me, about the World Cup especially, there is too many haka around," de Villiers told the Dominion Post newspaper. "It is unique, to me, and is losing its intensity, but that is only me.

"People are becoming so used to it. It is not a novelty any more and they don't respect it."

De Villiers' comments prompted an immediate response from the All Blacks, with centre Ma'a Nonu saying, "it's part of our history, our tradition.

"We're proud of it. I don't really care what he thinks," Nonu said.

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-union/union ... z1YX2zRqCN

[Gob]

A video has revealed the dramatic moment when police used pepper spray to break up a group of Polynesian men and boys performing a traditional dance after a high school football game. Police in Roosevelt, Utah, are being accused of overreacting after a pair of officers had tried to disperse a dozen or so performers blocking an exit after the Union-Uintah game on Thursday night. The Haka dance has been popularised by rugby players in New Zealand who chant, beat their chests and gesture aggressively before matches.

The Maori tradition also can include fierce facial expressions. Haka dances are now performed at football and rugby games around the world. The group in Roosevelt, a town of 8,000, had travelled around 125 miles to watch a relative play his final game for Union, who lost to rival Uintah and finished the season without a victory.They were trying to boost Union's morale with the Haka as the players left the field, reported the Deseret News and Salt Lake Tribune.

Spectators, coaches and players told police everything was fine and they should let them perform, said witness Jessica Rasmussen. But officers told them to make room and began using pepper spray.
s Rasmussen said she and other bystanders also got spray in their eyes, ears and mouths. Union fan Jason Kelly said the way police reacted was an embarrassment to the community of Roosevelt.
I've never seen anything like it,’ Mr Kelly said. ‘It was totally unprovoked.’

Police said the incident is under investigation - and anyone is welcome to lodge a complaint. They said many people in the crowd knew the group was going to dance, but the two officers did not.
Spectator Shawn Mitchell said while he did not view the dancers as a threat, the impromptu performance might have played a role in how police responded.
‘If they're going to do something like (the Haka), maybe some planning could be done ahead of time,’ Mr Mitchell said.



Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... z1bfTjROUK