Andries Jonker about fuss about Orange Lionesses video: ‘Has nothing to do with a haka’ | Women’s Soccer World Cup

In principle, the haka can be performed by anyone, as long as there is respect and understanding for the meaning behind it. For that reason, there was an outraged reaction in New Zealand to videos of both the Dutch and the Spanish selection. Both football associations took the videos offline. Nevertheless, Jonker states that the exercise had nothing to do with the haka at all.

It was an exercise by physical trainer René Wormhout, two weeks ago during the training week in Limburg. An exercise for inner strength from the core of the body to evoke. ,,I’ve seen that exercise, but I never thought for a moment that anything went wrong”, says Jonker, who is on a training camp in Sydney with his team this week. The national coach compared the exercise to the haka of the New Zealand rugby team: ,,If you compare it: our exercise has nothing to do with a haka and no haka is requested in any way. In no way.”

Not only the Netherlands was criticized, also Spain. Jay Laga’aia, the New Zealand-born actor who played in two Star Wars films, among other things, reacted furiously to the Spanish video: ,,You come to our home and have no respect for our culture. You not only disappoint your team and your country, but also your family. Your parents must be proud that you chose this international stage to show how stupid and insensitive you are. Just go home.”

_{Watch the videos of the Orange Lionesses and the Spanish team below. Text continues below the video…}

In the Dutch video, according to national coach Jonker, the confusion arose due to the fact that one of the players can be heard shouting ‘Hakaaaa, New Zealand!’. “That is called as a joke, but it is magnified and suddenly we are the center of a riot. In my eyes it doesn’t matter at all. If there is something that we as a country are still good at, it is respecting other countries and cultures. The Netherlands is open to other countries and takes the lead in the fight against countries that do not. So I think we are one of the last countries that deserves to be criticized for that.”

Defender Stefanie van de Gragt is also not aware of any harm: ,,I have a lot of respect for the haka and the residents. I think it’s something unique,” ​​she says. Jonker also emphasizes that he has a lot of respect for the culture in New Zealand: ,,One of the things that struck me, also during the ceremony surrounding the draw, is the enormous warmth and hospitality of Australians and New Zealanders. They want to make it a wonderful party and present their original roots. All due respect for that.”

The coach has asked his players to be careful in the upcoming World Cup weeks, in which everything is under a magnifying glass: ,,I told them not to do anything similar anymore, because cameras are far away from the field and they can not smell what is the purpose of what we do. So: don’t do it anymore, don’t do it, don’t say anything about it, don’t use the word haka anymore. It all leads to discussion and we are here to train. We should not be distracted by that.”

After this week, the Orange Lionesses will continue to New Zealand. Tauranga is home base there. The first game against Portugal is scheduled for July 23 in Dunedin.