Less Haka Please: On Limiting The All Blacks’ Haka Ritual
There was a time when the New Zealand Haka would cause the hairs on my neck to stand on end. I’d feel a visceral chill run through my veins: my senses would come alive, my knees would go weak. Now, whenever the All Blacks let out the opening roar of their pre-match ritual, I leave my couch to make a cup of tea.
The Haka has become predictable, rehearsed and monotonous. Not only that, it also provides an unfair advantage to those who perform it. So, if it no longer provides entertainment value, and if it flies in the face of competitive equity, what purpose does it serve?
World Rugby, the game’s governing body, clearly regard the Haka as a protected species and have put stringent protocols in place to make sure it is given unwavering respect. Teams cannot encroach on the war dance, a hypocrisy given the origins of the ceremony, and opposition players must keep all arms and legs behind the halfway line. Eddie Jones’ England side fell foul of this in 2019 when two of their players overstepped the mark in what was otherwise a famous semi-final win for the Red Roses at the Rugby World Cup in Japan.
This sanctimony feels misplaced given the psychological and physiological advantages that the Haka offers. According to the findings of Vince Kelly of Queensland University’s School of Human Movement, those who perform the Haka benefit from elevated heart rate levels, as well as an increase in blood flow to their extremities. All the while, their opponents stand motionless in the cold.
But beyond matters confined to the field, the Haka has lost its novelty for those of us who primarily watch New Zealand from home – especially if you don’t support the All Blacks. I would rather listen to Nick Mallet (SupersportTv analyst/contrarian) go on a tangent than watch TJ Perenara lead his team in a dance.
Should we allow all rugby teams a chance to perform if it is important to their culture? Imagine the Springboks singing Shosholoza for five minutes before kickoff, or the Scots dressing up as pipe band members and doing a piece before changing back to their jerseys.
Māori culture describes the origin of the Haka as a celebration of life. War dance’s such as the Haka also portray a sense of unity and strength.
That given, it takes away from what I sit on the couch to watch; the rugby. It drags the pre-match process out longer.
Maybe have a regulation that limits it to only home games for the teams concerned, or give home teams the prerogative to decide whether teams are allowed to perform it. Better still, allow them time to perform in their changing rooms. If it is such an important pre-game ritual, it should not matter where it is done.
As a viewer, the option of whether I watch the Haka or rather switch to the studio feed and listen to cutting edge analysis would make a better viewing experience.
The All Blacks Haka, reminds all of us that rugby holds on to those traditions built in an amateur era for a sport that has struggled to fully professionalise.
Either we completely stop teams from performing, or we allow everyone a chance to pay homage to their culture. What is bizarre to me is that the cricket, hockey or even swimming teams do not have a Haka before competing, if it is a dance to prepare for battle, shouldn’t all sports teams perform it? Why has it only been limited to the rugby and basketball teams?
Other Pacific Island teams, such as Fiji, Samoa, and Tonga also perform their own type of dance. They too should receive the cut, or be allocated a time slot in their private change room to honour their culture. I just shouldn’t have to watch it.
When the Black Ferns sevens team performed their Haka after winning the Rugby Wolrd Cup at Eden Park in 2022, it made for a pleasant watch largely because they had earned the right and I had a choice to leave my tv set since the rugby was over. Furthermore, in this case, the Haka was more in celebration.
When the Fiji Sevens team, after winning a consecutive gold medal, burst into song at the same venue, those pictures went viral because they were passionate and authentic. Unfortunately, these are all qualities the New Zewland Haka and other pre match dance rituals lack in abundance.
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