Top Women Rugby Players Accused of Using Haka as Political Stunt Sparking Controversy

Speculation surrounds the decision by two of New Zealand’s top women’s rugby players to abstain from performing the traditional Maori challenge before a Super Rugby Aupiki game, with some suspecting political motivations. The club, however, has chosen to remain tight-lipped about the reasons behind this.

The haka, known as “He Piko, He Taniwha,” was executed in its usual manner by Chiefs Manawa players before their game against the Blues in Auckland over the weekend.

However, two Black Fern representatives, Ruby Tui and Arihiana Marino-Tauhinu, opted to stand still at the back of the formation and did not join in, possibly as a display of solidarity with a team based in Wellington.

Last week, the Hurricanes Poua faced backlash for modifying the haka’s lyrics to criticize the government, referring to the National-led Coalition government as “redneck” over perceived breaches of the Treaty of Waitangi.

The altered haka, linked to the political movement Toitu te Tiriti, urged people to “never fold and never bend” or be “puppets of this redneck government.”

Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters, a Maori himself, condemned the haka as an attempt to insult the government.

Following consultations between Minister of Sport Chris Bishop and the Hurricanes club, the team performed a modified haka over the weekend. However, it still contained phrases that the government interpreted as “Governments are temporary, the Treaty will endure. Poua will endure.”

The team disputed this translation, stating that the intended meaning was actually “challenges may come and go, but we will endure.”

No Explanation So Far

The Chiefs Club has yet to issue a statement clarifying why Ms. Tui and Ms. Marino-Tauhinu chose not to participate, leading to speculation that they were aligning with the Hurricanes’ political stance.

“We believe our players are entitled to their views, and at the Chiefs Rugby Club, we create an environment where every individual can express themselves, supporting our Chiefs wahine [women] and Tane [men] to excel both on and off the field,” they stated.

When addressing the broader haka issues after the game on Saturday, Chiefs Manawa captain Kennedy Simon expressed, “I think, you know, it’s just helped us come together and be stronger. I think haka is a form of self-expression and we’re just fortunate to have the Chiefs right behind us on and off the field.”

Input was also requested from the iwi representing the Waikato and Bay of Plenty Regions that the Chiefs represent.

Waikato-Tainui executive chair Tuku Morgan told RNZ that the haka on Saturday drew on historical narratives related to the Crown confiscation of Tainui land during colonial times.

“The courage of this team should be celebrated as they represent a region that was invaded by colonial troops resulting in the widespread confiscation of our land and future economic potential,” he remarked.

He added that the iwi fully supported the team in conveying their political views, saying, “Here’s a group of women who have a message to convey to this nation, and we stand behind them in full support for their ability to speak from the heart.”