Wouldn't it be a strong statement if the other team just ignored the
Haka ... just continued passing the ball around in the warmups,
practising kicks, doing sprints, etc.  ... wouldn't ignoring it be the
best strategy?

No unsupported assertions masquerading as 'answers' please ... only
comments, or supported research.

PS .. if you don't know what the haka is ... go back to watching
sitcoms on TV.

I hope that you don't mind if a non-Kiwi attempts an answer.

Yes, I'm an American, I admit it (don't hold it against me).  But I
love sports, including sports that most Americans ignore.  (I'm
partial to cricket, and if you search for my Google Answers name and
"cricket" on Google Answers, you'll find my answer to a bit of cricket
trivia.)  I visited New Zealand for a few weeks last year, and saw the
haka performed, though not at a rugby match.  So I know that the haka
is a big topic in New Zealand -- and apparently elsewhere too, as
shown by the number of references on the Internet to haka (including
The Spice Girls' haka, but we won't talk about that ...).

Anyway, I'll bypass many references to the manner in which Maori
perform the haka and the haka's significance to the Maori, though
here's one good web page on the subject:

"Categories of Haka"
Waiata Maori
http://waiata.maori.org.nz/haka/types.htm

With respect to the All Blacks, a widespread belief is that performing
the haka gives the team a "psychological edge".  However, that view
might be undercut by the failure of the All Blacks to win the Rugby
World Cup routinely.

"All Blacks and NZ Rugby History"
Champions of the World [yes, I know it's a part of a Rugby Union sales
pitch, but I believe it reflects the view of supporters]
http://allblacks.champions.co.nz/

For more on the supposed psychological effect, see:
"Rugby New Zealand" (under heading "Haka History")
Active New Zealand
http://www.activenewzealand.com/all-blacks.htm

Apparently, some teams do "ignore" the haka, although I think that
they have a different defintion of "ignore":  "Some teams pointedly
turn their backs, while England once caused outrage in a rugby union
international by striding forward and meeting the All Blacks
nose-to-nose."  Personally, I think that both turning of backs and
standing nose-to-nose acknowledge the mystique of the haka, rather
than deny it.

"Proud to be a Maori", by John Mathews (4 November 2000)
Google cache of BBC Sport
http://216.239.37.100/search?q=cache:NU0SyOC53QoC:news.bbc.co.uk/sport/hi/english/rugby_league/world_cup_2000/group_4/newsid_1006000/1006739.stm++site:news.bbc.co.uk+haka+psychological&hl=en&ie=UTF-8

There is currently a suggestion that a crowd of 107,000 should sing
"Waltzing Matilda" during the haka, but again, I'd say that's an
acknowledgement rather than a denial of the haka's purported power.

"Loe lampoons Wallaby front row", by Peter Jenkins (10 Nov 2002)
iafrica.com
http://sport.iafrica.com/worldrugby/previews/44675.htm

I think that your suggestion is a good one by comparison.  After all,
some consider the haka to be old hat by now.  Even one apparent
believer in the haka notes that "With repetition, it may have lost
some of its power to intimidate these days."

"Rugby World Cup 1999 : Second Round Games Wrap-up", by Adrian Porter
(14 October 1999)
Culture Kiosque
http://www.culturekiosque.com/nouveau/sport/rhesport10.htm

Eric Rush, captain of the the Rugby Sevens team and former All Black
says that the haka was in part "designed to intimidate the opposition
.... But today I don't think it works because the other team knows,
you won't come out with spears and knives and stuff.  So today it's
more of a sign of respect for the other team."  I'm not sure about "a
sign of respect" -- they're not performing the haka for the Queen,
after all.  But the part about not coming out with spears and knives
seems valid.

"Eric Rush Interview" (May 15, 2002)
CNN
http://asia.cnn.com/2002/WORLD/asiapcf/03/26/talkasia.rush.transcript/

The best commentary I found about the waning power of the haka is on
the following page, where the commentator writes: "It did, in the
past, also appear to have quite a damaging effect on the opposition of
the All Blacks.  It ... was intimidating.  It isn’t anymore. ... [The]
haka is in danger of losing its impact and becoming just another
pre-match entertainment spectacle.  It is being overused."

"Time to have a look at the haka?", by John McBeth (17 Jan 2001)
One Sport
http://onesport.nzoom.com/sport_detail/0,1278,25672-2-16,00.html

I suppose that ignoring the haka is difficult -- it is very
impressive.  But given its repetition, it's familiar to most people
now.  So even if opposing sides don't ignore it, they don't seem to
let it bother them too much these days.

This was a enjoyable subject to research and write about.  Keep on
submitting those questions (a shameless plug for Google Answers)!

- justaskscott-ga

P.S.: In reference to a comment you made to another question, people
call me "Steve" too.  I never understand why ....


Search terms used on Google:

haka psychological
haka intimidate

Thanks, Scott! Good references to chew on!

It didn't help them last night against England :(

I don't think the purpose is to intimidate, but rather to motivate the
All Blacks, and fire them up. Before a game I always used to slap
myself really hard in the face a few times, to wake me up a bit.

Rob, proud Kiwi.

I agree in part with Rob's comment about motivation.  I saw references
to the motivational purpose, and presume that the haka is as important
for firing up the All Blacks (and any supporters in the stadium) as
for discouraging the other side.

However, many people think that the haka serves to intimidate.  Since
it was the subject of the question, I focused on this aspect of haka.

The England crowd (70,000, including me!)at Twickenham drowned out the
haka yesterday with lusty strains of "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot", and
it seemed to work!

Bonus question: How the hell did a US slave spiritual end up as the
unoffical song of England Rugby?

Scott
(PS - I'm A Merkin, too!)  :-)

I remember a game at Lansdowne Road. The Irish formed a line with
their captain at the centre, arms wrapped around each other. The All
Blacks began the Haka and the Irish line began advancing towards them.
It ended with the Irish skipper (Anderson??) eyeball to eyeball with
the Kiwi captain, screaming obscenities. The Irish still lost, but it
was worth tuning in for the pre match theatrics alone!

As an Aussie Rugby fan I've witnessed the Haka before many All Black
tests and whilst I remain impressed by the passion it evokes, the
pre-game has become a joke and now consists of three anthems (the
kiwi's do theirs in maori and what passes for english in Dunedin), the
Haka and a stirring rendition of Waltzing Matilda - just so the
Aussies can have the last word .

The Wallabies choose to eyeball the Haka ceremony rather than turn
their backs, partially out of respect and partially out of fear that
it would fire up the Kiwi's even more if their ritual was ignored!

I have a small mpeg of excerpts of various All Black Haka's including
the Irish episode referred to by Sim in his comment. Thetapir - send
your email address to kurtkurtains@hotmail.com and I'll forward it to
you.

Go you Wallabies, go you good things...