TJ Perenara took advantage of the platform given to him, as New Zealand haka leader, to send a message. This Saturday, during the match against Italy, the All Blacks scrum-half, as often and for his very last match for the selection, led his troops in the first battle: the haka. But before singing the famous “Ka Mate”, he uttered a few words which caused controversy: “Toitū te tiriti o Waitangi” (“Pay homage to the Treaty of Waitangi”).
This phrase refers to the Treaty of Waitangi, signed between the Maori and European settlers in 1840 and considered a founding act of the New Zealand nation. This was called into question by David Seymour, leader of a libertarian party member of a center-right coalition, who proposed a new text. In response, many Maori MPs sang a haka in Parliament and tens of thousands of people demonstrated against the plan.
“Being able to lead the haka tonight, especially to show the unity of our people back home…I think we all saw the people in our hīkoi (protest marches)the unity that our country has demonstrated. Being able to recognize the unification of our people, of all our people is something that was important for us and for me,” TJ Perenara underlined a few days later.
This initiative, however, did not go down well with part of the New Zealand population, judging that athletes should be content to practice their sport without taking a political position. An opinion which is not shared by Scott Barrett, the captain of the All Blacks, who supported his scrum half. “As a leader, they have the opportunity to say something,” remarked the second row. He said he was going to lead the haka and say this message of unity, and that's what he did. »
