- Ngati Toa condemned the use of “Ka Mate” haka by anti-drug addicts.
- Haka appeared in anti-vaccination protests in New Zealand.
- There are no legislative penalties for the abuse of Haka.
The Maori tribe with “Ka Mate” haka rights told anti-vaccine protesters on Monday to stop performing this famous ceremony during the demonstration.
Ngati Toa-a tribe of Maori people or iwi-is recognized under New Zealand law as the cultural guardian of Ka Mate Haka, which has been prominent in recent protests against coronavirus-related restrictions.
“Ngati Toa condemns the use of Ka Mate haka to promote and publicize anti-Covid-19 vaccination messages,” the tribe outside Wellington said in a statement.
“We insist that the protesters immediately stop using our taonga (cultural treasure).”
There are many forms of Maori Haka, but Ka Mate-the All Blacks have performed before the rugby test game for more than a century-is by far the most famous.
Punishment
This stomp and roll eye ritual is deeply ingrained in New Zealand culture and is often used for important social events such as weddings or funerals.
Ka Mate is the haka of Ngati Toa, created by warrior leader Te Rauparaha around 1820 to celebrate his escape from the pursuit of rival tribes.
Parliament passed a law in 2014 that recognizes Ngati Toa as the guardian of Haka, but the legislation does not include penalties for abuse of Haka.
iwi has previously publicly opposed the commercialization of Haka and satirical or disrespectful ritual versions.
Helmut Modlik, CEO of Ngati Toa, criticized anti-vaccine protesters for putting personal aspirations above the greater good.
He said:
Many of our tupuna (ancestors) lost their lives in previous epidemics, and our iwi suffered huge losses.
“We are very aware that the Covid-19 vaccine is the best protection we can get, and we are committed to supporting our whanau (family) to get the vaccine as soon as possible.”
New Zealand has adopted tough measures to respond to Covid-19, including strict lockdowns and strict border restrictions, and only 33 deaths from the virus have been recorded in a population of 5 million.
However, with the implementation of the “no injections, no work” policy, protests have increased, attracting thousands of people in major cities.
Many of the people who performed haka in the demonstrations were Maori, and Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern stated that young indigenous people in particular face a lot of false information.
She told New Zealand TV:
We are trying to reach some young Maori people.
“I have to say that the false information outside is serious… If they deliberately spread misinformation, they will put people at risk.”
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