“We’ve only been in Aotearoa-New Zealand for a few days and we still have a lot to learn about their culture,” said one of the players.
The team will debut next Friday against Costa Rica
The Spanish women’s soccer team apologized this Monday to the Maori community for their “mistakes”, amid the controversy unleashed after the publication of a video in which some players dance the ‘haka’, a popular and ancient New Zealand choreography.
At the official welcome ceremony to the New Zealand city of Palmerston North, where the absolute will stay during the World Cup in New Zealand and Australia, defense Ivana Andrés thanked for the warm welcome and took advantage of the occasion, which coincides with the celebration of Matariki, the Maori New Year, to “ask forgiveness” for the “mistakes” committed.
“Thank you for kindly dedicating us a few minutes of teaching, especially at such an important moment as Matariki, in which the stars announce the beginning of a new year”, said Andrés.
He added that the 23 players face this Matariki “with renewed spirits, eager to learnto enjoy, to share, to achieve success for our successes”, as well as “to ask forgiveness for our mistakes in order to be a little better every day”.
The statements come days after the publication of a controversial video in which four players -Misa Rodríguez, Jenni Hermoso, Salma Paralluelo and Laia Codina- they seem to emulate the ‘haka’, an ancient war dance of the original Maori people It represents the pride, strength and unity of a tribe.
The images generated anger and criticism from the Maoriwho understood that it was a mockery of their culture, and the news made the front page of the main New Zealand media in recent days.
“We have only been in Aotearoa-New Zealand for a few days and we still have a lot to learn about their culture,” He stressed the backlash in his brief speech.
This morning, the players participated, along with coach Jorge Vilda and other members of the coaching staff, in the Official welcome ceremony for the Women’s World Cupwhich will start on July 20.
The Spanish delegation was received with songs, rites and dances -including the ‘Haka’- of the Maori culture and heard speeches of support and welcome from authorities and community leaders, most of them delivered in the Maori language.
“It is a real pleasure to extend, on behalf of the city of Palmerston North, our warmest welcome to the Spanish team,” said the town’s mayor, Grant Smith, who took the opportunity to wish La Roja “much success” in the tournament.
For its part, the selection, represented by Andrés, He gave the Maoris a Spain shirtwhich symbolizes “all the resignations, the sacrifices and the victories that have made it possible today to have the privilege of being here to play the World Cup in this admirable land”.
“That shield represents our ‘mana’: our skin, our blood, our sweat and our tears.which we trust will almost always be joyful in the coming weeks,” stressed the footballer.
Spain, which is in Group C, will debut in the World Cup next Friday against Costa Rica, in a match played at the Regional Stadium in Wellington. For his second duel, he will travel to Auckland, the most populous city in New Zealand, where will meet Zambia on July 26.
They will close the group stage again at the Wellington stadium, this time in an appointment against Japan, on July 31.