The Scariest War Dances - Pre Match Rituals

[waratahjesus]

That's a bit harsh. I guess the original haka is considered traditional globally and perhaps that should always be whats done abroad.

But at home, I think it's up to us what we perform.

Agree with others though, do what you like whilst it's being performed.

i have a real problem with someong changing something thats traditional, im all for the Haka, i love watching it be performed and its a great addition to the game. But i have a problem with a country performing a throat slashing jesture when it is made up and bullshit. stick to tradition, or just dont do it.

 

[MajorlyRagerly]

Qwerty - no, not me. A few people will bitch and moan, but they do that anyway, so just do what you want.

Sully - because I think we have every right to do what we want pre match, on our own home turf. Perhaps not in a RWC where it's an IRB event, but otherwise yes.

WJ - fair enough, you may or may have noticed but the throat slash has gone. Schoolboy rugby in NZ, almost all schools have a haka & it's great. I spent some growing up in a small maori community so I know a fair bit about them & I love them. I also understand that the new one (which seems to have been shelved), was a haka written for the All Blacks, so in a lot of ways it actually has more tradtiong and meaning than Ka Mate. Which I believe was borrowed.

 

[tigerland12]

I love the haka, i don't care about tradition or hwo other teams choose respect it. But something about 22 men yelling and performing synchronized moves really gets me going!

But seriously I do enjoy it, I make sure I watch it everytime, gets me pumped up.

 

[waratahjesus]

Major - its not traditional at all, and dropping the throat slash lower down the chest isnt getting rid of it, "drawing vital energy" i think the reason for it was, there is no tradition in a group of men standing round coming up with something. otherwise let the wallabies do an aboriginal dance that now comes with the tradition of being performed as the last thing before an event is underway, is that traditional?

 

[Muttonbird]

Let the wallabies do an aboriginal dance.

Do it! Please, please, please.

 

[waratahjesus]

we can pretend the aboriginals had a war dance like the mungos did, will be a fantastic moment to see JOC (James O'Connor) do the emu.

 

[drewprint]

Maybe we can do the Macarena or something. And god help anyone who moves a fraction of an inch while we do it.

 

[monique]

The 1908 Wallabies tour to England before leaving went to La Perouse where they were instructed on an Aboriginal war cry. This was performed at most of the matches. The war cry was resurrected in 1924 on the SCG by the NSW side after the All Blacks rendition of the Haka. The home side won 20-16. The full story can be found in Peter Sharman's book The First Wallabies

 

[Bullrush]

Major - its not traditional at all, and dropping the throat slash lower down the chest isnt getting rid of it, "drawing vital energy" i think the reason for it was, there is no tradition in a group of men standing round coming up with something. otherwise let the wallabies do an aboriginal dance that now comes with the tradition of being performed as the last thing before an event is underway, is that traditional?

Wow - are you the final authority of what is traditional?

I think the ABs should have kept the throat slitting. F**k it...it's a man's game so step up and accept the challenge.

 

[DPK]

So what's next, Br? Sacrificing live animals on the field? Burning effigies of the opposition players? It is a man's game after all.

 

[Bullrush]

So what's next, Br? Sacrificing live animals on the field? Burning effigies of the opposition players? It is a man's game after all.

Yep...that's ridiculous. Not sure how you make the jump from a war dance to sacrificing live animals but you do your thing man.

Whether you want to admit it or not, a lot of sport - and especially full-on contact sport - is a lot of macho bullshit. Smashing players around the park, getting smashed yourself and getting up and telling the opposition, "Fuck you, you hit like a poofta. Now run it straight at me you little shit."

I like Charles Barkley's attitude here:

[video=youtube;TRl8bvCKIK8]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TRl8bvCKIK8[/video]

 

[ChargerWA]

The Haka adds something to the game, it makes it a special occassion. I believe the opposition probably get as much motivation out of the Haka as the AB's.

 

[Bullrush]

The Haka adds something to the game, it makes it a special occassion. I believe the opposition probably get as much motivation out of the Haka as the AB's.

I hope so. That would be awesome. As a fan, there's nothing I want to see more than the best players playing to their best ability.

 

[drewprint]

Maybe Digby can train the rest of the boys up into an elite level dance crew and both teams can duke it out in a no holds barred, street style dance contest. The rugby itself can take a back seat, the dance challenge is more important.

 

[waratahjesus]

Wow - are you the final authority of what is traditional?

I think the ABs should have kept the throat slitting. F**k it...it's a man's game so step up and accept the challenge.

I'm not the final authority, but I am of the personnel opinion if something is done over many years that it becomes traditional, and in turn earns respect. That opinion also extends to the team doing it having respect for the opposition, changing what is tradition makes it non traditional and in my eyes disrespectful.

If it is actually meant to be a challenge, then it makes no sense unless there is an opposition to perform it to, so therefore the All Blacks should show a he'll of a lot more respect than there "we own the game bow before us" crap they hand out to everyone.

 

[drewprint]

Kapa o Pango lyrics:

All Blacks, let me become one with the land
This is our land that rumbles
It’s my time! It’s my moment!
This defines us as the All Blacks
It’s my time! It’s my moment!
Our dominance
Our supremacy will triumph
And be placed on high
Silver fern!
All Blacks!
Silver fern!
All Blacks

Cocky?

 

[Bullrush]

I'm not the final authority, but I am of the personnel opinion if something is done over many years that it becomes traditional, and in turn earns respect. That opinion also extends to the team doing it having respect for the opposition, changing what is tradition makes it non traditional and in my eyes disrespectful.

If it is actually meant to be a challenge, then it makes no sense unless there is an opposition to perform it to, so therefore the All Blacks should show a he'll of a lot more respect than there "we own the game bow before us" crap they hand out to everyone.

Oh so when you said

Major - its not traditional at all

You really meant

It's my personnel opinion Major - its not traditional at all and in my eyes disrespectful

And the bolded bit is just bullshit.

 

[Gagger]

I love the haka and I love seeing it done before games - the school boys ones are flippin' awesome.

I think we live in a society where the basic, animalistic, testosterone-filled, macho instincts of a man are often suppressed and ridiculed and sometimes illegal that sometime men need to find outlets like full contact sports and the haka to still feel a macho. A lot of it's bullshit but I think some of us are wired like that and it's OK. We need to hit some guys in a rugby game on Saturday to get us thru the next week of sitting in our office toeing the company line.

I hate the IRB setting out these dumb rules about how teams can 'respect' the haka or face it. This is a war dance. The other team doesn't have to respect if they don't want to and they should be able to lay down their own challenge, or take up the AB challenge in whatever way they want - barring actual physical contact obviously. The haka isn't performed as a nice cultural token for the spectators to get all warm fuzzies about. It's about laying down the challenge that we are here to f**k you up, run all over the top of you and make you feel like you wish you'd never been picked to wear that ugly jersey you call an international strip. The opposition should be allowed to equally show an attitude of, 'you can do that stupid f**kn little dance all you want but as soon as you touch that ball I'm gona rip your f**kn arms off and start doing the robot with them to the stadium's sound system playing 'slice of heaven' as you're stretchered off the park you little shits'. But if they want to stand there and respect the haka - they can do that too.

My point is that it's a war dance and this is professional sports - whatever a pro sportsperson need to do to get up and play to their best ability of the day - let them do it. If they have to face a haka (long may it continue) and a sportsman wants to walk up to half-way and stare down the AB, let them. If they want to ignore the haka and do warm-ups, let them.

Then kick the ball off and let the game do the talking.

Best summary I've seen on the subject BR. Knew there was a reason we never banned you

 

[Bruwheresmycar]

The one on the rugby club tonight was impressive:

[video=youtube;KBCpPGNDr1U]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KBCpPGNDr1U[/video]

 

[Patto.]

In my youth I enjoyed the AB's Ka Mate haka and accepted it as a bit of fun. It was not widely promoted as being a serious CHALLENGE. Over the last 20-30 years the challenge aspect has been promoted. I found it hard to understand how the telling of a frightened Chief hiding behind a womans skirt was a challenge. The Kapa O Pango haka on the other hand is a statement by the AB's as to who they are and invite the opposition to take that from them.
How teams react to the Haka should be up to them. Personally, I smile when they perform Ka Mate and ready for a fight at Kapa O Pango.