Written by Jarond Suman
Growing up in southern CA we enjoyed the Polynesian entertainment provided for us by the Samoan and Tongan branches in our church. Whether it was the Haka, Tahitian dancing or even an occasional fire dancing, it was always entertaining. Gorgeous Polynesian women swayed their hips and the oiled up men flexed their gigantic muscles. For lack of a better term, it was always really cool when the POLYNESIANS “Haka’ed”. Let me again emphasize that I enjoy when POLYNESIANS do the Haka. In no way do I enjoy seeing an uncoordinated white dude, in his BYU football uniform, sticking his tongue out doing the Haka.
BYU football is sacred to me, holy ground if you will (and you will). I get defensive when others mock the BYU football program but, how in the swear word can I defend a football team that is 80% Caucasian doing the Haka? --I can’t and I won’t. Maybe white boys should start crip walking or better yet, maybe we should make the very few and proud African Americans on the football team do a river dance before the game? Sounds kinda silly right? I guess some things just don't go well together like, Michael Jackson and Lisa Marie Presley, or a 90 year old woman with a tramp stamp... or a few laxatives chased down with an ambien—bad idea. Trust me on that one.
Let me say this, I have no problem with the Polynesian football players doing the Haka because when they do it, it looks completely natural.
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Let me say this, I have no problem with the Polynesian football players doing the Haka because when they do it, it looks completely natural.
I will now allow myself to write from the superstitious part of my brain. As anti pre-game Haka as I am it seemed the more white boys that did the pre-game Haka, the more games BYU has won every year. Take John Beck for example, he refused to do the Haka at the beginning of his junior season but, as the season continued he was leading the team in the pre game dance ritual. I think BYU is in a catch 22 now because doing the Haka has only gotten them to the Vegas Bowl every year for the 5 past years, but it has given them winning seasons. Do they ditch the pre-game dance this season, hope to go undefeated and get invited somewhere bigger and badder than Vegas? Or do they Hak’ it up and hope for the best????
If you look strictly at the facts, I feel I have a valid argument. 5 years of Haka has translated into 5 Las Vegas Bowls. Ultimately my disdain for posers will beat up my belief in leprechauns any day.
So BYU football players, if you feel you need to dance to get to a big dance... please pop, lock, crunk, spin, kick, worm, windmill or chant, but oh please…say goodnight to the Haka.
Boooo. Love the Haka without regard to creed, color or national origin!
ReplyDeleteThe Haka is sweet. We had a poly on my high school team and when he did it for us it became a permanent memory from my high school career. He wanted us to do it as a team, but he couldn't convince us to do it.
ReplyDeleteI don't think the Haka and the win-loss or bowl destination are related. That is like saying we need to get rid of Bronco so we can go to a better bowl.
Speaking of Bronco and the Haka, it would be nice if he would do a solo version of the haka to open and close each of his firesides.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the Editor. I don't see any relation to the Haka and winning or losing. If I am not mistaken, last year BYU only did the Haka once right after they beat Oklahoma. And when asked about it Bronco said this year it just was never organized. So I don't think it has any mental or emotional effect on the game if the players do it if they feel like they want to do it. But I love I hope they do it every year every game. It would be sweet if they did it at the start, but faced the opponent. But that is just me.
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