The haka is in danger of losing respect because it is performed too often, Springboks coach Peter de Villiers says.
The Springboks were welcomed by Ngati Tuwharetoa to Taupo yesterday, and the haka Ka Mate was performed, and explained to de Villiers and his charges. de Villiers was impressed by that, which led to another utterance to add to his memorable cache of quotes; read on:
"We understand where it originated from and we understand it brings something deep down out of people who know what it is all about.
"For me, about the World Cup especially, there is too many haka around. It is unique to me, and it is losing its intensity – but that is only me.
"People are becoming so used to it, it is not a novelty anymore and they don't respect it."
When performed as it was when the defending world champs were welcomed to Opotaka, it had immense value – but that was cheapened by overuse in sports scenarios.
"Today, it was really deep down and you could feel everybody was part of it, you could understand why they do it."
Peter de Villiers is treading on very dangerous ground here. On hand he's suggesting that the haka has immense cultural value; on the other, he's saying that it's cheapened by its overuse in sports scenarios.
de Villiers doesn't seem to realise that the haka is part of the kaupapa of New Zealand rugby. One only has to view the grainy black and white footage of the All Blacks performing Ka Mate on the 1924 Invincibles tour of the UK to understand that. And of course in recent years, the All Blacks have developed their own haka, Kapa O Pango, which adds to that kaupapa.
So we're willing to bet that if and when the All Blacks do meet South Africa at some point in the money rounds of RWC2011, there will be a fair bit of added ferocity in the haka. And when the All Blacks carry that ferocity into the match, the South Africans will be unappreciative of their coach providing motivation for their opposition!
10 comments:
The sentiments expressed are nothing we haven't heard from plenty of local commentators...I'm sure Big Bruv says something similar every day over on KB.
Is this one of those areas where only Kiwis are allowed to criticise?
Then again, perhaps PdV thinks the best chance of a 'boks win is another one of those matches where the AB's win the Haka but lose on the scoreboard?
Are you trying to lure Big Bruv over here James? Last thing I need at the moment is a flame war between him and dad4justice!
Don't be frightened of bruv and dad Inv2 - I've sent both running for cover many a time in th epast (Thar she blows!)
As to Ka Mate, look Inv2, I don't like to be the bearer of bad news but it has become quite lame now. De Villiers is right about that. Though I love haka, this one has gone all soft to the ear. It has been parodied so often, performed by amateurs, used in advertising etc so much that inevitably, it's lost air and is now quite flaccid. When the All Blacks perform it now, the look and sound try-hard.
I want them to use another haka. Rotation is a good thing :-)
Some of the Pacific Island 'haka' are more energised than 'Ka Mate'.
I don't disagree Robert, which is why I was delighted when the All Blacks collaborated with Derek Lardelli to come up with Kapa O Pango; it's an awesome haka.
It hasn't been the same since they stopped doing the jump at the end...
That 'jump at the end' is critical James. In days gone by, if the feet of all of the warriors didn't hit the ground in unison, kit was regarded as a sign that they'd lose the coming battle. Sometimes, if that happened, they'd turn and run - fast!
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I wonder if he thinks the same about national anthems??
I agree with DeVilliers and the 75% of other voters on the Stuff and Herald polls that are sick to death of all these hakas
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