The screaming haka
As the Women’s Rugby World Cup approaches its climax, the men in my family settled to watch the semi-final between New Zealand and France at Twickenham. They are agreed that women’s rugby is faster-moving and played more as it used to be in the men’s game. It was a good match and the final, later on this Saturday afternoon, between the champions, England, and Canada, promises to be entertaining, too.
The major attraction for me was seeing and hearing the haka. Haka are ceremonial Māori dances performed in a variety of situations, from welcoming honoured visitors, to funerals, to a pre-match challenge or symbolic throwing down of the gauntlet. When men perform the haka before a rugby match, their voices resonate around the stadium, a powerful chant reverberating in the chests of the crowd. It is thrilling.
Women’s voices are shriller, more piercing, so that the overall effect is of shrieking rather than chanting. However, the Kiwis gave it their all.
Packs of people shouting and yelling occur in less friendly circumstances, demonstrating in the streets against perceived injustices. I have it on good authority that a mob of women screaming obscenities feels far more threatening than a crowd of men doing the same. The fairer sex is less than attractive when protecting their homes or communities. Men are intimidated by screeching harridans.
The rugby final was won by England, with a score of 33 to 13. It was a good match, played with concentration and intent until the very last minute. There was no aggression, and none of the fisticuffs sometimes seen in the men’s matches. It was the second largest crowd attendance of all time.
It was good to see the Canadian Prime Minister there, but where was the UK Prime Minister?
I don't watch sports if I can possibly avoid it, so haven't seen a Haka in a long time. I think there was a small part shown on the news once a few years back, not sure what it was for, but it was the men not the women.
ReplyDeleteWas Sir Keef busy meeting the Australian PM while he was visiting?
ReplyDeleteI remember the haka being performed for the late Queen, barely two metres in front of her. I thought she had nerves of steel to not step back. I suppose New Zealanders get used to the haka, but if you see it rarely, it is frightening.
Women do not have to scream to be intimidating. 😀
ReplyDeleteI've seen the haka performed a few times on television. Very impressive. It's obviously very meaningful to the Maori.
ReplyDeleteWhen men perform the haka before a rugby match, their voices are loud and the powerful chant is scary. I always thought the haka was to terrify the opposition team, not to thrill the audience in the stands.
ReplyDelete