Hakarena: Is mocking the haka crazy brave or crazy stupid?

MEMO to England rugby: don’t poke the bear, and this is just what former England captain Matt Dawson has done with his video mocking the All Blacks’ haka.

FORMER England captain Matt Dawson has done his nation no favours with the release of a video mocking the famous All Black haka just days ahead of the Rugby World Cup kickoff.

The video fronted by Dawson, titled The Hakarena, mocks the All Blacks by combining the actions of the pre-match war cry Ka Mate with those of the 1994 dance hit Macarena.

Designed to counter the advantage received by New Zealand’s world champion rugby team by the pre-match ritual, Dawson describes the dance as England’s own ‘secret weapon’.

Unsurprisingly the disrespectful treatment of Maori culture has drawn criticism from New Zealand.

Prominent Maori politician Sir Pita Sharples said the video was both disrespectful to Maori culture and missing the point of the All Blacks’ pre-match war cry.

“The haka is done as a way of honouring the enemy,” he said. “You don’t do it in those sorts of circumstances — you do it if you’re up for a challenge.

“By doing a haka as the All Blacks do, it’s recognising the worth of the other side. So if they’re doing something to mock the haka, then I think that’s pretty shameful.

“The haka is very meaningful to us,” he added. “To actually mimic it and deliberately bring it into ridicule is, to me, insulting.

“The Maoris and New Zealanders in London could react to that big time.”

It seems the ‘secret weapon’ could blow up in England’s face with reports that New Zealand players are fuming at the lack of cultural respect.

Considering the English rugby team have managed just a solitary victory from their last 15 Tests against the All Blacks you can only wonder how the players in the current squad feel about their ex-teammate firing up the Kiwis.

Can't wait to see all the versions of the #Hakarena over weekend. #berespectful

— Matt Dawson (@matt9dawson) September 16, 2015

That leg flick at the end says more about Matt Dawson than anything else #Hakarena

— snowman (@MtRuapehu) September 16, 2015

Not sure what to make of Matt Dawson's #hakarena pretty awful banter. Maybe kiwis should wear air max and sweat pants and go to nandos?

— Dan Bowden (@danbowden_) September 16, 2015

People ridicule what they're scared of #hakarena #JokesOnYouBruv

— Latifa Daud (@latifadaud) September 16, 2015

Well I think it's funny. People need to lighten up! #hakarena

— louise wright (@louisewri) September 16, 2015

I don't even watch rugby but #hakarena is exactly why white people need to be stopped.

— shambles (@Shambha_v) September 16, 2015

Originally published as Hakarena: Is mocking the haka crazy brave or crazy stupid?