‘Pool of Death’ doesn’t translate too snappily - ‘Y gronfa o farwolaeth’ how about 'Sharkpool (swimming with sharks) ’ Nofio gyda siarcod?
Hi, there well only a week or so until the start of the cup I think the All Blacks have Argentina first up. I don’t know whether it will be useful or not however if people would like to know more about the Haka as in what is it , what real purpose does it serve? etc I can fill you in with some enlightenment as I understand that there are varying perceptions about the Haka and it’s relevance. I would like to offer to put any misconception about the Haka to rest if that is possible. People need to be receptive however, if you don’t think that it will be useful then fair enough too. Hope all is well enjoy.
1 Like
This would actually interest me and (I’ve asked that once on twitter) what are real usual responses to that - another haka, retreat, or something Welsh team once did (if you remember that one).
This person would love to know, Peter!! I was told it was a war dance and the Fijians, who do something similar, came to Swansea (Abertawe) and some of them did their version at the Brangwyn Hall. An elderly neighbour of mine said she wouldn’t like to meet one of them on a dark night!! I did point out it was a dance!!! I love the tongue sticking out!! One is broken of that as a child in Britain!!! 
different teams have done different things over the years. I vaguely recall a wallabies team (under 21’s or something) playing the Kiwis and almost ended up a big brawl before the game started. I belive some stand their ground as the Welsh did, some turn their backs, from memory one team just walked off and continued warming up and ignored the whole thing?
I remember Campese going off and practising his kicks near the corner flag in one match - '91 World Cup, maybe?
But this I can see as quite disrespectful, isn’t it?
What about a Haka as in general, not on the sports field. Are you keen to what one doing Haka might encounter as response? (If I’m not too nosy and am not going too much offtopic though).
Diolch.
Yes, it could be seen so.
The ABs certainly seem to be getting more and more prescriptive about how people are ‘meant’ to respond to the haka - leading to the absolutely absurd ‘haka in the changing rooms’ incident at Cardiff when they demanded the right to schedule the haka when they wanted it (apparently, it had to be the very last thing to happen before the game started, which I rather suspect doesn’t go a very long way back in Maori history!).
Conversely, I think it can be quite disrespectful to the other team to tell them how they’re meant to react. Brian O’Driscoll responded with what was apparently a traditional gesture (something about dropping a leaf, I think) that had been suggested to the Lions by Maori elders, in 2005, and the ABs responded by targeting him and putting him out of the game and the series in the first five minutes or so.
As long as the ABs are allowed to do the haka, I think it’s being respected. I can’t see why the other team should have to face/not face it in any particular way.
I’ll never forget Ma’a Nonu saying (about the face-off in Cardiff) ‘the Haka is a war dance. Standing in the way like they did is asking for a fight…’ Errr…
I remember reading in one article and hearing elswhere back in 2009 or 2010 (don’t remember well anymore) that (some) Maori elders are against dancing Haka in any other aspect then traditional one and yes, I know Haka is war dance so I’d agree with them (those elders I mean) on this point because sport should never be as kind of a war. They (elders) said Haka becomes kind of too commercialized and used in the way they wouldn’t want it to be used. (or something like that (I’m not quoting them I’m just pulling out of my memory what I read)).
But since Haka is here I believe here has to be respect from both sides and if O’Driscoll was treated this way it was eqully disrespective to him and the Lions team in that matter. Yah, maybe everything really is going on too sirious on one hand and too commercial on the other.
However, I believe I should search for some history of “real” Haka and how it went if there exists something like this to read.
Diolch i bawb.
Haka is not just a war dance, it is used at many different events and has many different contextual meanings. Here is a useful link:- http://www.newzealand.com/uk/feature/kapa-haka-maori-performance/
The tongue-out face is called Pūkana (Poocanna). The “oo” is a very short sound. While at Te Puia (Poya) I learnt (in a strictly tourist-style demo) a part of the Haka, along with the blokes there. Amazing! The ladies were taught some parts of a Poi dance. I have to say, the ladies were a lot better, well a bit better then, than us fellas…
Kapa Haka is now spreading in schools as a subject and teaches the honour and philosophy of the Māori people. Our nearest equivalent is Citizenship.
1 Like
Is ‘Jonathan’ on S4C for the next few weeks? Hope so
Diolch @gary_stokes_7 I thought there’s more so that’s why I’ve asked but never really took the time to “explore” the net to know more.
@stuartstanton, I hope so too. Jonathan is my "second eye"since I don’t see well and would miss a lot if there would not be his comments and explanations. And he’s many times so excited I “fear” he’d go down there to the pitch and play for himself (again). 
Love his commentaries in deed.
Ah, but stupid me. Only now I see what you actually meant … But OK. I’ll leave this comment as I wanted to blurt this out for already a long time. - hehe.
Hmmmm … video on the site is geo-restricted to me, what makes me feel app would be too. but will read article later on to see what they say.
Diolch yn fawr iawn.
That was really good to read. I do feel that it would be a shame if the only Maori tradition kept was a ‘bastardised’ version of a war dance. Especially when it is used by some ABs to intimidate some opponents on rugby fields!! Does anyone know if the Samoans, Fijians and others have really kept up their traditions, or just started using ancient dances to copy the ABs?
Yeah, I’m going to leave you to argue that out with Ma’a Nonu…
I often see the different islanders doing lots of their traditional things - ALTHOUGH - I have no way of knowing if that’s just for the cameras, tourists and Getaway 
Would you like to be a fly on the wall?
I’ll settle for the video… 