Yup … it is very powerful to watch the haka. It is a challenge to the other team and a great way to psyche up before a game. It is an honor to either be in a haka or receive one.
The Hawaiian College football team does that too but they can’t do it towards the other team cause of politically correct bullshit. So Olly how many times have you gotten onto the field with American football players? If rugby was as ruff as football your guys would be wearing armor too. Even with all the armor people still get hurt and die, if we didn’t wear all the pads American football would be over because all the players would be dead.
Friz… It’s an honour to receive the haka? Who is on the receiving end, the opposing team?
If I was in opposition I’d be ignoring and/or mocking their silly dance number to take the wind out of their sails. This is intended to psyche me out, I’d be doing everything in my power to reverse the affect.
Do they do this at every game, even away games? I would expect that opposing fans would boo this type of display, again to reverse the desired affect of ‘psyche-ing out’ their team.
I’m not trying to be a jerk, I am genuinely curious.
I have played both American football and rugby, and to be honest, the hits are about the same, you do get hit harder in American football, but the pads take the worst of it, you cant hit as hard in rugby, because it is flesh on flesh, but American football wouldnt hit as hard without pads. Plus, you play the whole game in rugby, you don’t come on and off again for half the game. Its a much more intense period of punishment. So yeah, American footballers hit harder, but rugby players take much more punishment over the course of the game.
It’s a traditional thing. It is a thing one does before one goes to battle, but with a worthy opponent, though I think it is also given as a show of honour to high standing people like chiefs. (Don’t quite remember)
Either way, I’m pretty sure it’s not -just- a psyche-out, but also in a way, a sign of respect.
Today it’s a sign of respect. Back in the days of tribalism in New Zealand the Maori were geniuses in that they understood that every battle not fought is a battle won. The Haka was used to intimidate and scare the enemy, while pumping up the warriors. The imagery of hulking, fierce warriors, who stick their tongue out (symbolizing that they are going to eat you), would often scare any challengers into retreat, and if not it would give the Maori a huge morale advantage. Also, those slaps are about as hard as you can take without injuring yourself, while the dance itself flexes every muscle in the body, so you are warmed up, stretched, and your adrenaline is already pumping before the battle even starts.
Either way it’s damn cool. There’s very few overly masculine things in this world that I appreciate, and interestingly enough, one of them is a song and dance.
Ok I am going to try that next time I am going into a meeting where I expect opposition to something. Pretty sure they wont disagree with me on anything after that. May make me take a psych evaluation but still
So good to see Scott post something like this. As you’ve all said this a version of the Haka, the Maori war dance. However, the team your looking at is not ‘the All Blacks’ rather it is the ‘New Zealand Maori’s', which is a national rugby team only formed from players form Maori decent. Similar to many other indigenous races the Maoris were given a rough time by the settlers, but in recent times NZ has tried to redress this balance and now Maori culture is a central part of the total culture of NZ. The Maori team is another expression of that. The All Blacks are the proper national rugby team, but most visitng national teams would also play the NZ Maori’s on a tour. There are various versions of the haka the most frequently used one is called ‘Ka mate’. Heres a link to the history of it on the All Blacks site
However, the recent All Black teams have started using a new one called Kapo O Pango, which was first shown against either South Africa or France, here is a link to that one (check out the move at the end where they seem to do a ‘slitting of the throat’ gesture to the other team). Also, check out the captain of the team at the time Tana Umaga (the guy in the dreads), leading his team in this war dance. Totally awesome!!!!
And finally (sorry to possibly bore the pants of you), but here is a haka from this week!! New Zealand were touring Ireland (where I live) and they played a match against a provincial team here called Munster to celebrate a famous match 30 years ago between the two sides. The interesting thing with this one is that there are New Zelanders on the Munster team, so this one has the strange example of 4 guys returning the Kaka to the All Blacks, a rare sight.
My two cents for the Football/Rugby debate: Have you ever seen the size of an American football player in person? They are gigantic freaks of nature. Most players have arms bigger than your chest. If there weren’t pads there would be a lot of people with permanent injuries, if not dead.
Yeah, ok, they are big guys, they hit hard, but can they run from one of the the football field to the other, repeatedly, for 80 minutes, while taking and giving hits? Footballers come on, play for about 15-30 secs, play stops, they huddle, they line up again, play for 30 secs, stop, huddle, wash rinse repeat, then the defense comes on, does the same. They may hit harder, but they couldnt play rugby for 80 mins and hit that hard the whole time.
Simply put, yes. I have many friends who are Football (Rugby) players and they can’t stop running. They run more (and faster) than Bush did from military service. Not to mention, they aren’t 300+ pounds.
That would be considered racist, in fact i think there was a australian rugby league (rugby league is a similar sport, harder hits, less strategic) player that got banned for a few international games for swearing at the new zealeand rugby league team while they were doing their haka.
Im not too sure if your american or not, but itd be like me pissing on your flag in front of you, then taking a bite out of some kentucky fried bald eagle. =D
Felix: it’s pretty close when you live here =P Bring back to us, bring back to us the Felix-stone!
Oh, and as for the whole ‘Similar to many other indigenous races the Maoris were given a rough time by the settlers, but in recent times NZ has tried to redress this balance and now Maori culture is a central part of the total culture of NZ.’? Being a lethal, tribal society, they declared war on the settlers, learned their weapons, and showed the British how dangerous trench warfare was (leading to its’ extended use in WW1) – beat the settlers into a surrender, leading to the Treaty… That’s a very different situation from the Aboriginies, native Americans, etc. “Strangers to our land, eh? Well then… lets gather the tribes, make a massive alliance, and kick their arses back to wherever they came from!”
i think i’d react in 2 possible ways: 1- think “omg this guys are gonna fucking kill me” 2- burst out laughing (and, since it’s the all blacks, they’re probably going to do so anyway)
tho i think its really cool they do this, they actually make people learn about maori culture while going to a sports match. i dont recall learning anything while going to any other kind of match
This is funny. You don’t realise how different this is to people who have never seen it. I am a born and raised kiwi and I see this all the time. Just a question, wasn’t O going to get a maori tattoo or ta moko?
i think the lead guy is maori from New Zealand. They do that dance before going to battle.
Ah, the New Zealand rugby team. They do that before ach and every international match, definately something really powerful if you ever watch it live.
GO NEW ZEALAND!!!! XD
Ah, the haka. You see rugby is like American Football, but not played by wimps who need body armour.
Yup … it is very powerful to watch the haka. It is a challenge to the other team and a great way to psyche up before a game. It is an honor to either be in a haka or receive one.
Went to New Zealand and had some locals perform a haka for us. VERY intense in real life.
That team is the All Blacks. New Zealands Rugby team, they do that dance to psyche out the other team.. it works.
The Hawaiian College football team does that too but they can’t do it towards the other team cause of politically correct bullshit.
So Olly how many times have you gotten onto the field with American football players? If rugby was as ruff as football your guys would be wearing armor too. Even with all the armor people still get hurt and die, if we didn’t wear all the pads American football would be over because all the players would be dead.
@ Scott: Your Welcome!
When studying chemistry I saw that a scientist did this dance when he discovered something… Isnt chemistry funny!
Friz…
It’s an honour to receive the haka? Who is on the receiving end, the opposing team?
If I was in opposition I’d be ignoring and/or mocking their silly dance number to take the wind out of their sails. This is intended to psyche me out, I’d be doing everything in my power to reverse the affect.
Do they do this at every game, even away games? I would expect that opposing fans would boo this type of display, again to reverse the desired affect of ‘psyche-ing out’ their team.
I’m not trying to be a jerk, I am genuinely curious.
I have played both American football and rugby, and to be honest, the hits are about the same, you do get hit harder in American football, but the pads take the worst of it, you cant hit as hard in rugby, because it is flesh on flesh, but American football wouldnt hit as hard without pads. Plus, you play the whole game in rugby, you don’t come on and off again for half the game. Its a much more intense period of punishment. So yeah, American footballers hit harder, but rugby players take much more punishment over the course of the game.
It’s a traditional thing. It is a thing one does before one goes to battle, but with a worthy opponent, though I think it is also given as a show of honour to high standing people like chiefs. (Don’t quite remember)
Either way, I’m pretty sure it’s not -just- a psyche-out, but also in a way, a sign of respect.
Well, SOMEBODY just got served.
Today it’s a sign of respect. Back in the days of tribalism in New Zealand the Maori were geniuses in that they understood that every battle not fought is a battle won. The Haka was used to intimidate and scare the enemy, while pumping up the warriors. The imagery of hulking, fierce warriors, who stick their tongue out (symbolizing that they are going to eat you), would often scare any challengers into retreat, and if not it would give the Maori a huge morale advantage. Also, those slaps are about as hard as you can take without injuring yourself, while the dance itself flexes every muscle in the body, so you are warmed up, stretched, and your adrenaline is already pumping before the battle even starts.
Either way it’s damn cool. There’s very few overly masculine things in this world that I appreciate, and interestingly enough, one of them is a song and dance.
Hooray for the All Blacks!!
I just wet myself.
Ok I am going to try that next time I am going into a meeting where I expect opposition to something. Pretty sure they wont disagree with me on anything after that. May make me take a psych evaluation but still
So good to see Scott post something like this. As you’ve all said this a version of the Haka, the Maori war dance. However, the team your looking at is not ‘the All Blacks’ rather it is the ‘New Zealand Maori’s', which is a national rugby team only formed from players form Maori decent. Similar to many other indigenous races the Maoris were given a rough time by the settlers, but in recent times NZ has tried to redress this balance and now Maori culture is a central part of the total culture of NZ. The Maori team is another expression of that. The All Blacks are the proper national rugby team, but most visitng national teams would also play the NZ Maori’s on a tour. There are various versions of the haka the most frequently used one is called ‘Ka mate’. Heres a link to the history of it on the All Blacks site
http://www.allblacks.com/index.cfm?layout=haka
However, the recent All Black teams have started using a new one called Kapo O Pango, which was first shown against either South Africa or France, here is a link to that one (check out the move at the end where they seem to do a ‘slitting of the throat’ gesture to the other team). Also, check out the captain of the team at the time Tana Umaga (the guy in the dreads), leading his team in this war dance. Totally awesome!!!!
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=3K-UKp9dDFM
And finally (sorry to possibly bore the pants of you), but here is a haka from this week!! New Zealand were touring Ireland (where I live) and they played a match against a provincial team here called Munster to celebrate a famous match 30 years ago between the two sides. The interesting thing with this one is that there are New Zelanders on the Munster team, so this one has the strange example of 4 guys returning the Kaka to the All Blacks, a rare sight.
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=iVufrShzUBw
I’ll stop now….Scott…if its possible you’ve gone up even more in my estimations….RESPECT!!
Ive seen these guys before. If i ever had to play these guys after seeing that id CRAP MY PANTS
O.o they look like they’re going to eat the other team and then eat the crowd afterwards…
Hey Olly, we don’t use body armour, we use body armor. Theres a BIG difference.
lol
I didn’t think it was respect, I always thought it was an insult. It’d been dubbed pornographic a few times here in Australia
go kiwi!
@ Arcofel: the Munster game was awesome, Munster played out of their skin! great watch.
Call me nutty, but if you adjust the color pallete in your mind, doesn’t that look like something out of an anime somewhere?
why does this video have the weird music? it completely ruins it.
where’s the version with the actual chanting?
ahh the New Zealand All Blacks and their Haka…
it changed….they replaced the video or something.
Oi the All Blacks!
If it was American football, they would get penalized until they were within a millimeter of the goal line.
You can’t even throw the ball in the air. Ask UW when they played BYU >:(
Oh and the only rugby team I like more than the All Blacks? My alma Mater – THUNDERBIRD! Go T-Birds!
OMG it’s the Ginyu Force!
Useless against the Scotish Haka wich is more fearsome.
Oops forgot the video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YjNNtHRLCF8
“Group up for buffs!”
It’s funny reading some of these comments from people who have never seen a haka before when I see it before every rugby game my country’s team plays.
Kiwis ftw!
My two cents for the Football/Rugby debate: Have you ever seen the size of an American football player in person? They are gigantic freaks of nature. Most players have arms bigger than your chest. If there weren’t pads there would be a lot of people with permanent injuries, if not dead.
Yeah, ok, they are big guys, they hit hard, but can they run from one of the the football field to the other, repeatedly, for 80 minutes, while taking and giving hits? Footballers come on, play for about 15-30 secs, play stops, they huddle, they line up again, play for 30 secs, stop, huddle, wash rinse repeat, then the defense comes on, does the same. They may hit harder, but they couldnt play rugby for 80 mins and hit that hard the whole time.
Seeing a Haka on youtube doesnt really cut it…nothing like seeing it in person…its incredible
AB’s FTW!
NZ FTW!
Ya that is how my team prepares for red rover finals…
@yankeedave
Simply put, yes. I have many friends who are Football (Rugby) players and they can’t stop running. They run more (and faster) than Bush did from military service. Not to mention, they aren’t 300+ pounds.
It’s even better live! Other Kiwi teams have started doing this, including their basketball team.
That only made me laugh. If I was the other team, I would counteract this weirdness by laughing intensely while pointing the whole time.
My team would be crying laughing, and slapping the ground.
I have one thing to say as the seemingly only single female representative on this board.
Hub ba (drool)
I love New Zealand so much!
Now I miss it again…
Why does it have to be at the other side of the earth!!!
@bearbutt
That would be considered racist, in fact i think there was a australian rugby league (rugby league is a similar sport, harder hits, less strategic) player that got banned for a few international games for swearing at the new zealeand rugby league team while they were doing their haka.
Im not too sure if your american or not, but itd be like me pissing on your flag in front of you, then taking a bite out of some kentucky fried bald eagle. =D
Felix: it’s pretty close when you live here =P
Bring back to us, bring back to us the Felix-stone!
Oh, and as for the whole ‘Similar to many other indigenous races the Maoris were given a rough time by the settlers, but in recent times NZ has tried to redress this balance and now Maori culture is a central part of the total culture of NZ.’?
Being a lethal, tribal society, they declared war on the settlers, learned their weapons, and showed the British how dangerous trench warfare was (leading to its’ extended use in WW1) – beat the settlers into a surrender, leading to the Treaty…
That’s a very different situation from the Aboriginies, native Americans, etc. “Strangers to our land, eh? Well then… lets gather the tribes, make a massive alliance, and kick their arses back to wherever they came from!”
Also, from what I’ve heard, people tend to get their asses handed to them during play if they ignore or try to make fun of the Haka.
i think i’d react in 2 possible ways:
1- think “omg this guys are gonna fucking kill me”
2- burst out laughing (and, since it’s the all blacks, they’re probably going to do so anyway)
tho i think its really cool they do this, they actually make people learn about maori culture while going to a sports match. i dont recall learning anything while going to any other kind of match
This is funny. You don’t realise how different this is to people who have never seen it. I am a born and raised kiwi and I see this all the time. Just a question, wasn’t O going to get a maori tattoo or ta moko?
KIWI KARNAGE FTW!!
The Irish look a little outclassed in that video. hehehe
Best way to face the Haka is to face it head on the way France did in the semis of the world cup.
I think i just wet myself a little bit. Very, very, intimidating.