Haka demonstration woos TV viewers

NZ soldiers appeared on Turkish TV to explain the haka. File picture / NZ Defence Force

DUBAI - Up to 30 million Turkish television viewers have been told the traditional Maori haka is not offensive, and this may pave the way for the war dance to be part of future Anzac services at Gallipoli.

No haka was officially part of the programme but some Turkish observers suggested it was offensive and was not wanted at the services.

However chief of defence force Air Marshal Bruce Ferguson and three members of the defence kapa haka party went live on a Turkish news television show last night to explain the haka.

Air Marshal Ferguson said the show was a big hit and the phone calls began immediately.

"They didn't understand the arm actions or the facial expressions. They didn't understand any of that and to them it just looked like someone was being rude."

He said when it was explained that this was about a Maori warrior avoiding capture and attacking the enemy and what the hands signals meant, it went down particularly well.

"They wanted to understand what they called 'the hakadance'. I couldn't stop them calling it the 'hakadance'. They understood that. The haka is one word they could not understand."

Three members of the defence kapa haka party took the studio audience through each part of the haka. As they demonstrated one part they would describe what it was about.

"At the end they ran through it twice as I told them to do at 150 per cent strength. Give it heaps," Air Marshal Ferguson said.

"At the end of the show the studio audience was ecstatic. The producer was delighted, the anchor man was delighted, and the phones started going straight away."

He said the presentation could lead to a haka being part of the future Anzac Day services on the Gallipoli peninsula.

"If we approach it delicately and culturally sensitively there is a good chance in the future, yes.

"So I would be very happy with that because it is a part of our culture and it is a part of what our young men who died at Gallipoli would know.

"We will take it one step at a time and we made a big step last night."

Turkish army officer and liaison officer for the New Zealand visit Major Vedat Zamir said the show had a deep impact on the Turkish people.

He said the haka was not now seen as objectionable and an earlier suggestion it was offensive was because of a misunderstanding.

"This is our heartfelt wish that next year it will be held. We would like that. We are looking forward to seeing it again, the 'hakadance'. It was wonderful," Major Zamir said.

- NZPA