A chara, - Ted O' Keefe (June 29th) claims that the Haka belongs to another time and should be banned.
I would suggest that the Haka is unique in that it has survived colonisation by a foreign power in a country where the colonists and the indigenous population have made a better fist of co-habitation than many other former colonies I can think of.
The fact that the national sport of New Zealand is represented in this way is testimony to the success of the colonists' integration. Does Mr O Keefe believe indigenous culture should be buried so as to make it easier for the colonist to forget the wrongdoings of the past?
Long live the Haka.- Is mise,
BRENDAN McCANN,
Tramore,
Co Waterford.
Madam, - In view of the intimidatory and indeed contentious nature of the Haka, perhaps when the All Blacks visit Lansdowne Road on November 12th the Irish team should line up along the half-way line to perform a section of Riverdance.
The sight alone should be enough to undermine completely, once and for all, the idea of pre-match rituals.
The Haka is permitted only at the indulgence and goodwill of other countries and should now be sin-binned permanently. - Yours, etc,
PAUL O'MAHONY,
Rathmines,
Dublin 6.