How should you react to the haka?

Respect it but take it as a challenge

I am Maori (the haka is a Maori thing not a Samoan thing). WHEN THEY START, go into the far in goal area and run some passing drills. You don’t have to respond because as far as I am aware, not many cultures actually have a response. They (the group doing the Haka) will feel disrespected and try to get vengeance. Its great, you weather the storm and then beat them at rugby. Any moron that tells you to face up is just a sentimental crybaby. Rugby is war and we are not on the field to hold hands. Take what advantage you can. If we were their for a war I would crack someone with my taiaha while they are doing the haka. Stuff the preamble, just get the show on the road. I want to see a haka, I’ll get my sons to do one on the front lawn.

Source(s): Maori kapahaka tutor and rugby player

I played rugby at the University level here in Canada and I’ve been an All-Blacks fan for a long time. I think the haka is awesome but I’ve always thought about what it would be like to be on the other side of the pitch from that.

My advice would be to not react at all. Stick to your own pre-game preparations. It’s meant to intimidate the opposition as well as motivate the players and they are winning the pyschological warfare if you let them. Find your own unique way to focus before the game.

Once you start reacting to it, now you’re thinking too much about them and not preparing yourselves and your own game plan. Once you’re thinking more about what they are doing and not what you are doing they’ve got you where they want you.

P.S. – I’ve seen various teams over the years try to ‘react’ to the Haka, including the Wales-NZ game mentioned above, and once several years ago one team (I think it was Wales again) linked arms and slowly marched towards the haka, even crossing the center line and making light contact with the All Blacks. It seems to me like the teams that are reacting to it are always going to ‘look stupid’ because it’s never as effective or dramatic as the Haka and like I mentioned above when you are reacting instead of initiating then they are controlling the situation.

No way. The haka is fun, loads of tradition behind it and it adds an extra element to each game. Not that I support the All Blacks, I am South African and I support the Springboks all the way. But if we play the All Blacks, and they don’t do the haka, I’ll be very disappointed. To answer your question. I think at some stage during the Grand Slam tour they will do the haka-style you are referring to.

Best response I saw was the Scotland team in a World Cup match, oh, umptyteen years ago. The team formed up in the same pattern as the ABs, and stood strong watching. It was awesome. The captain was in the centre and ended up just about nose to nose with the haka leader.

Kia Ora & Greetings to you all. My name is David Rawiri Thompson of Aotearoa New Zealand. The Haka is the posture dance of my people. Anciently, It was performed by our ancestors prior to going into Battle.Today it is performed for major events, like the beginning of your football game.We travel to the USA regularly as tutors, exponents of HAKA,PERFORMING ARTS, TAMOKO or traditional Maori tattooing

and we would be too happy to teach you the “real deal” if the HAKA opportunity is considered. We have performed at the Merrie Monarch Festival, in Hilo 4 times and the Cannings Hotel in Las Vegas 27

e mail address; [email protected]. Mauri Ora Rawiri

Any way you like!!! …the Haka is a dance that indicates the beginning of a challenge or a battle…..i would respond to it “in their face”…nose to nose..it has nothing to do with disrespect…its a challenge of battle..for christsake , where is it written that just because it is the haka the opposition should stand their meek and mild and just take it..yeah right..

Response #1. Man up and accept the haka by standing in a line about 10 metres inside your half of the field and facing the team that’s doing the haka to you. Don’t advance, don’t retreat, turn your back, go into a huddle or ignore it. The ideal response is to do the haka back either while the other team is going for it or when they finish. But if you don’t know a haka or feel confident enough to do it, I suggest you do the above. The 27 Portuguese Rugby team Captain Vasco Uva said of the Haka that “[We] faced it, gave it the respect it deserved and it gave us motivation and we knew if it gave them strength, it was also a point of strength for us.”

Source(s): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haka_of_the_All_Black…

Stand as far forward as you are allowed, but not over the half way line (check with them to see what is culturally acceptable) and face it down, eye to eye. Generally if they are 10m back from the half then you should stay 10m back etc.

When it finishes, stand a moment take a couple of steps backwards still facing them eye to eye and then turn and walk away. I’d say make them walk away first, but then you might have the same problem that the AB’s and Wales had when Wales didn’t walk away and they just stood there until the refs made them move.

Facing the challenge is very important, anything else you do signifies that you are not man enough to do so or are disrespecting their culture. Either way it will fire them up more, whereas you facing it can give you strength and honour and they’ll respect you more.

Just don’t move over half way though unless your looking for a fight.

For a start lets get exactly what a haka is. A haka is performed to deride, cajole and belittle your enemy, to cast fear into those who are being challenged so that they will lose the will or desire to fight. It is also used by the group doing the haka to phsyc themselves up. The most traditional responses were to do a haka back at them, show your buttocks especially exposing the area known as the anus or totally ignoring their haka. In sport where it is still a challenge you should get your team mates to stand as tall as they can so that you are looking down on them place your hands on your hips, open your eyes as wide as possible and show them your teeth. In ancient terms this means I am a bigger warrior, I have clarity of vision and soon you will be gnashed between my teeth where all sweet meats should be. No words are needed.(Do not link your arms that is a sign that you are afraid and need others support to overcome this challenge)

Source(s): My tribe.

Here, go to youtube, type in “ireland responce to the Haka” Thats the proper way to react to it, the Haka isnt a threat, its the laying down of a challange, to accept it you must play them, or if you really want to say your up for it, do what the Irish did there.