August 13, 2014
Haka confirms shared belief
An Australian sports researcher is picking the haka to give the All Blacks an edge against Australia in Sydney on Saturday night.
Richard Light has just become head of Canterbury University’s school of sport and physical education.
He has a $330,000 Australian Research Council discovery grant to research the influence of Maori culture on rugby in New Zealand and the Maori conceptions of wellbeing.
Professor Light says all sports have rituals, but the All Black haka has a powerful influence on the team performing it and on the team facing it.
He says it also confirms shared cultural beliefs and values for New Zealanders and communicates much about New Zealand culture to the outside world.
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