Arizona Football: The Traditional Pregame Haka is No More at Arizona

That was fast! The Haka is gone from Arizona football pregame festivities and traditions. Or is it?

An Oregon State Beaver fan and friend of mine who is from New Zealand and Australia brought to my attention today that New Zealanders were furious with our Arizona football team for botching their sacred HAKA ceremonial chant. By the time I got to Twitter, Zack Rosenblatt had announced the Haka was no more at Arizona.

Ms. Campbell led the charge and petition through Change.org to get the University of Arizona football team to stop performing the Haka or Ka Mate Haka before each game. Arizona Athletics just informed Christina Campbell, of Culver City, CA that there will be no more Haka before Arizona football games.

The title of the petition was ‘President Ann Weaver Hart: Stop the U. of Arizona football team from using the New Zealand Maori Ka Mate haka.’

Here is the performance on live national television:

The tradition started under Arizona Head Coach Mike Stoops in 2009 by a group of Pacific Islander Wildcat players who led the chant. The tradition continued under Head Coach Rich Rodriguez and was broadcasted all over national television on ESPN GameDay on Saturday.

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Ms. Campbell started a petition and won the battle to stop our team from performing the ceremonial chant. I know that our team did not mean to disrespect any tradition or any nation or tribe of people. I believe they were paying homage to the strength one feels and the unity it brings to the team.

One thing’s for sure, it did NOT help the Arizona Wildcats with luck to beat the UCLA Bruins, so I am not worried about the superstition. It just seems that the poor kids who meant absolutely no harm are being affected by maybe a misunderstanding.

Now I get it if they weren’t performing it right, or there is something they don’t know which they should, and then maybe there could have been a conversation. Better yet maybe they could have taught them how to do it correctly? Unless it was sacrilegious for anyone other than that tribe to perform the ritual, which is totally possible.

If the Wildcats offended anyone, honestly I do not believe that was the intent. The announcer says that a New Zealand Rugby team started performing the Haka at games.  The Samoan’s also have a Haka..so hmm..there is a difference, you be the judge.

Just know that many American teams around the country, be it high school or college teams do perform this ritual. So just because you stopped it at the U of A doesn’t mean you are done. Now you need to find all the other teams and make it a national discussion to get it to stop.

According to Cam Carpenter of the New Zealand Herald, “Other US teams including Brigham Young University and the University of Hawaii also share the pre-game haka as part of the build-up to their college football matches.” Carpenter also mentions many New Zealanders were indeed happy that Americans were embracing their culture. Here is a sampling:

"Matt Tonkin commented: “You could be offended by it, or you could be proud that they feel like it’s something that can lift them before a game.”“They did it with the best intentions I reckon. No harm in trying,” Mahera Rawhiti said on Facebook.Lance Nuku wrote: “I think it’s good. At least a part of the Māori culture will live on.”“They understood the intention of the haka,” wrote Facebook user Wahine No Aotearoa. “And it’s not deliberately disrespectful like the hakarena.”Dez Anahera agreed, saying: “That was a good haka and I felt that guys mana.”"

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In my religion and culture, we are usually triumphal when others want to partake in our traditions, as long as they are treating it with respect and honor. I believe the Wildcats did just that in this case. But maybe I am missing something, and I sure wish I understood it because I don’t think anyone in America has any other intent other than feeling and gaining strength from performing it.

It seems that New Zealanders were mostly offended because they felt the way it was done was amateurish. Okay, then teach them? Now folks are just feeling sorry that everyone is so upset, and instead of talking in general about everyone who performs this chant all over the world, they decided to pick on our Wildcats.

Well, for those of you who couldn’t stand when the team performed that dance, you can relax you won’t be seeing it again.

Leave the Wildcats alone now please, they meant no harm, they were attempting to pay homage to your great and beautiful tradition.

Update: Greg Byrne now says the Haka is not dead! And Michael Eletise’s father, Pastor Nofo lets us know it is not a New Zealand Haka.

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