Flying Fijians Show Respect for Maori Culture

The Flying Fijians showed at Roturua International Stadium on Saturday why Fijian rugby is admired and loved by people around the world.

Not only for their brand of unorthodox free-flowing rugby but because of the humbleness of the Fijian players and officials and their reactions to situations.

The Fijian players, in total respect for culture and war dances for which Pacific nations are admired by rugby fans worldwide stood in a line and watched the New Zealand Maori perform the haka.

The Maori All Blacks, on the other hand deviated from the true patriotism of indigenous culture by turning their backs on the Fiji team while performing the çibi.

Such disrespect for Fiji, especially from a team that promotes the Maori culture was a far cry from the true essence of what the Maori people are all about. Whether the call came from the players, or the captain or the officials, an apology to the Flying Fijians is only right.

Social media sights have been inundated with remarks of disappointment, mainly from New Zealanders.

Rotorua local Donna-Maree Francis told the New Zealand Herald she was “very sad to see them (Maori All Blacks) not show respect towards the Fijians’ haka”.

“We were looking forward to watching both teams do the haka but we didn’t expect to see the Maori All Blacks turn their backs and not face the challenge from the visitors,” she said.

“It just wasn’t the warm welcome we were expecting to see towards the visiting team.”

Maori All Blacks coach Clayton McMillan said it had been taken out of context and it was just the way the team decided to start their own haka.

“There was no malice ... it was just the way the boys chose to start,” he said.

But for two teams who have culture at the very roots of their beginnings, the Fijians performed to the backs of the Maori team.

For argument’s sake, they could have done the same when the haka was being performed and got into a circle and sang their famous Fijian hymn.

But with total respect for the Maori people, The Flying Fijians faced the Maori.

Maybe the New Zealand Maori team wanted to intimidate the Flying Fijians by turning their backs on the cibi.

Fijian rugby has grown in leaps and bounds over the years where any form of intimidating tactics is taken with a huge Fijian smile.

Gone are the days where the Fijians would lash out with their fists, perform some other acts that would see players on the sidelines at almost every match. This has earned them admiration worldwide and even if one is on the opposing side, you would find them clapping when Fiji scored through their open brand of rugby.

So if the Maori thought they succeeded in doing this, they were wrong.

Hats off to the Flying Fijians for respecting Maori culture.