KEY POINTS:
The waka will not accompany the New Zealand boat to the start of the America's Cup final, and there are claims the haka has been banned too.
Initial reports suggested this was an instruction from Alinghi or Cup organisers. But it now appears the New Zealanders made the decision themselves.
This forum debate has now closed. Here is a selection of your views on the topic.
Harls (Nelson)
Wow! after reading some of the comments of "should we support the waka and haka for our team emirates New Zealand" the comments put forward by the majority say little of support, but stress much about Maori and where they should be going.
Come on you so called Kiwis, we are here for our team and to give our support not to start another Maori War. I for one would like to see the crew take the cuckoo out of the Swiss clock and replace it with a Kiwi. If the Kiwis don't want the support of the waka or the haka so be it. We should stand by their decisions and give them our full support. Kia kaha.
Colorado
If Team New Zealand likes the support of a waka then that should be it. Even the Swiss agree that the exclusion of the waka and haka was to get under the skin of Team New Zealand. The Swiss use Alphorns and Jodlers all the time. This is all about culture and that includes Maoris. As a Swiss/Kiwi I must say it is very impressive to see a waka float by. So get of your borderline racist horse and embarrass all that is uniquely Kiwi. I know the Aussie embarrassed and highlighted the Aboriginal Culture during the Olympics. I say tell Bertarelli to get on and stop annoying the Kiwis on any occasion he can, especially since without Kiwis he would have no crew to sail his boat.
Rob
I have no idea why people think a bunch of overweight Maori are intimidating, they are more humiliating than anything else. Now if they sent a bunch of well built fit guys then maybe it would be okay, so long as they paid for the trip, not the taxpayer.
Another Proud Kiwi
This whole waka and haka saga is not about ones culture dominating the other, and Kiwi from India is right, turn 360 degrees and everything is European. I marvel at the choice of 'warriors' that Tourism NZ chose, they were not a good choice. Obese warriors do not represent NZ in a good light. I would like to have seen a crew made up of all our races here in NZ, chosen for their physical presence, taught the differing disciplines of crewing a waka, taught the haka. I am Maori and I speak Maori, I would have loved to see a waka crewed by a representation of all races in NZ. The comment of some people in here astounds and saddens me. I do not push my culture on anybody, and the same can be said of this waka crew, they were invited to go by the NZ Tourism Board, and I don't think it is run by Maori. And the NZ Herald has some culpability here in spreading sensationalism, but then again, it is the main political Maori bashing bludgeon the Tory right has got, but then again, some of the comments here are enough to make even the hardcore Tory blush, and no I do not vote for the left.
Kiwi (white man from out west)
By using the name Kiwi am I ramming Maori culture down your throat? Some people better check the back yard they are living in. Go ETNZ!! Go the waka!
P.S. thanks Ernie for the loan, best $10 million you ever invested.
Taylor
As a Maori myself I believe the haka should not be done at every sporting event where New Zealand are participating. In a way, doing the haka so often takes away its mana. But still I think that the All Blacks doing the haka is awesome, because it's a national tradition, and because it showcases New Zealand's native Maori culture to the world. And I don't see why some people are saying to scrap the haka because only 15 per cent of our country is Maori, that percentage doesn't matter when this is our country and has been our country for over 1000 years. But I think all New Zealanders, if they are true Kiwis, should embrace the haka, and Maori culture because it is part of our heritage and identity that is unique only to us. Be proud that our country is not afraid to show off our own indigenous culture, I don't see the Wallabies lining up to do an Aboriginal war dance, or South Africa mimicking Zulu tribesmen.
Georgy boy (Wellington)
What a joke, paddling a waka is not going to make our boat go faster nor slow the opposition's down. What I'd really like to see is the New Zealand jock's do the bloody haka
Michael
You are welcome to perform the waka sailing as long as you don't do it with obese grotesque looking fat guys (use real looking Maori warriors - not the chairmen who happen to pull their own name out of the hat) and you most certainly don't do it in another country. Sure NZ has Maori culture, but I believe the sailing ability does not come from those heritage lines, otherwise NZL92 would be a wooden waka. The sailing comes from the British side, so should we play cricket and drink tea before sailing?
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