The captain of Spain’s women’s football team has apologized after the team shared a video of their players mocking New Zealand’s haka, a traditional Indigenous Māori dance.
In the now-deleted video, four players can be seen laughing while yelling, slapping their knees and jumping in the air.
It was shared on the team’s social media with the caption “We are already acclimatised” shortly after the team arrived in New Zealand on July 10 for the 2023 Women’s World Cup.
The video was later deleted due to backlash.
Haka are a variety of ceremonial dances in the culture of New Zealand’s Indigenous Māori people.
The dances are often performed in a group and involve vigorous body movements, including stamping feet and slapping hands against the body, accompanied by rhythmic shouting.
It is performed by many of the country’s sports teams before international matches as a challenge to opponents, with the All Blacks, the national rugby team, being the most well-known example.
On Monday July 17, a week after the video was posted, Spain’s captain Ivana Andrés finally apologized on behalf of the team at their official welcome ceremony held by a local tribe in Palmerston North.
“We’ve only been a few days in Aotearoa New Zealand, and there’s still much to learn about this culture. We appreciate you teaching us during these minutes,” Andrés said in Spanish.
She said they “ask forgiveness for our mistakes and be better each day” and gifted a Spain team jersey to the tribe.
The Netherlands’ players also shared a video appearing to mock the haka.
It shows the Dutch players laughing as they squat, slap their knees and make grunting noises.
The Dutch team said the players were doing an exercise on “channelling your inner strength”.
The video has since been deleted.
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Another reason many Men don't take Women's Football serious in general. Ya'll too sensitive and get offended by everything, which is saying something since Men's Football isn't known as a manly sport. 😂🤣🤡
So rude
Because its stupid and rediculous not everything native is automaticly fantastic
All Maori people must find them and show them what a real haka is then they will know not to mess with us
As a New Zealander Samoan (not maori), it's very offensive to natives and people should respect culture whether they think its stupid or not we respect your culture, now respect ours😢
Its not up to the offender to determine whether offence was given nor by the by stander. The Spanish team ended up meeting with the local Māori tribe after this incident and they were told although they certainly didn't mean to give offence as representatives of their country at a global event whatever they do is much more than just individuals having a bit of fun. The Spanish women were suitably chastened by the experience, accepted the criticism gracefully and apologised . They then all shook hands, some did the hongi or kissed their hosts as is the custom ,none notably on the lips and sat down to have a meal together matter resolved. Anything more on the subject is just social media noise.
Hey The Haka Does Actually Works!
Ugly witches
As someone who was born and raised in New Zealand, the haka is a indigenous art that is performed to provoke fear amongst your enemy. Shame on them
Pity they all suck at Soccer
Omg no i pray that they will change
And this is why Spain lost the war to England. Because you ignore the traditional ways of other cultures. Yet do you hear anyone else mocking Spain! Get a grip!
What is wrong with people having fun with a "haka dance"? Having fun is not the same as 'mocking' by the way…
Now this is racist. A black woman participating as well. Keep setting ya people back hundreds of years w this behavior and wonder why things don’t change
We all love the haka. But it is whacky and primitive. Still good fun.
I hate how just cuz u think is funny does not mean I don’t like it or accept it or respect it. Some thing look funny to from other races that have not see it
Lol, Nate in theyre language they’re literally talking shit. I’d be mocking anyone saying my dick was small, especially if they’re doing a dance about it. Don’t get me wrong the bros look like they’ll fuck you up. But cmon I mean the Irish fans drown them out when they do this, so to be Uber pissed just tells me y’all couldn’t handle someone talking shit.
So they made fun of a ridiculous dance done by ridiculous men playing a ridiculous game? This whole thing sounds ridiculous.
Women's soccer players are sexy !
Society say that women are angel. But wtf is this
dont be a dick to tradition