Early this morning I got up to watch the All Blacks beat England at Twickenham with my dad. After a week of sniping from the English press about the haka, I was interested to see how the All Black’s traditional Maori challenge would be accepted, or not, by the English. This isn’t the first time the haka has been in the firing line and it certainly won’t be the last. After a fantastic game, with a fair result, I had time to think about our cherished haka and why it causes controversy, especially in a tabloid nation, such as England.
The All Blacks have performed a haka on overseas tours since 1905 and at home test matches since 1986 and it has become a beloved component of test matches for Kiwi rugby fans and for many neutrals as well. It has also garnered criticism and controversy. In a test against Wales in 2006, the All Blacks decided to perform the haka in their dressing room, after being told they would not be permitted to perform it after the national anthems as is usual. This year, South Africa tried to drown out the haka before a test against the Springboks at Ellis Park with a fireworks display and a flyover by an Airbus A380.
This week, ex-England player, Joe Marler, shared his views about the haka on social media that were subsequently picked up tabloid newspaper, the Daily Mirror. In reality they did nothing more than distract from the build-up to what would end up being an engrossing game of test rugby. Marler apologised later for saying the haka was ‘ridiculous’ and ‘needed binning’ and to be honest, the England team’s response to the challenge before the game set the tone for a cracking encounter. The England players advanced to the half way line, arms interlocked, to stare down a ferocious haka performed by the All Blacks squad. Great stuff.
Whilst the haka was in full swing the English fans did their best to drown it out with the one song they sing; one they have appropriated without any sense of irony; and one, I would have thought, that was worth as much scrutiny as the haka. “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot,” is a spiritual song from the United States, with roots in the Underground Railway – an escape route for slaves in the 19th Century. It is a song of defiance and a song of praise. It is a hymn of oppressed people looking toward heaven. It seems perverse that it has become the song of choice for a team whose country were in fact the creators of slavery in North America. Surely this is more contentious than the haka: a centuries old Maori challenge that has been used by the All Blacks for over a hundred years?
Really, this is about tradition and tradition is a huge part of sport. Other Pacific Island nations perform traditional challenges before games. They are seldom criticised for it. The English love their tradition, it is the bedrock of their culture. Think of tennis and the dictates of while only clothing at Wimbledon. That respect of tradition tends to be diluted, however, when it is the traditions of other countries in question.
To be fair, the views of the few create headlines and attention that dissipates quickly and they are not widely shared by many other rugby fans across the globe. The haka is respected because of its tradition and history. It is a wonderful part of our national game that honours our first people and adds to the flavour of our country and rugby itself. Long may it continue.
