Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
SALT LAKE CITY — Football players at Bingham High School will not be able to participate in a long-standing tradition as much as they used to. Region Three schools made a rule change that prohibits the Haka in some places.
The rule change states no team can perform a pre-game ritual on the field during an away game. That includes dances, posting flags, and doing the Haka — a fierce, traditional New Zealand war chant.
The decision isn’t sitting well with students like sophomore Tapu Tafuna.
“I just wanted to know why? Why now? Why end it now if they’ve been doing it for years?” he asked.
The team has been performing the Haka with fans since 2005.
Principal Christen Richards-Khong said after a match a few weeks ago between Bingham and Brighton High School, some people said they felt the Haka was disrespectful.
“I know what the meaning of the Haka is, and if you know what it is, it is in no way disrespectful," Tafuna said.
Brighton Principal Charisse Hilton said in a statement, "Why do we want to incite the kids before we play the game? In speaking with the athletes about why they were upset and why it bothered them, they said it's really about respecting a team's home turf. It's not a Haka issue, it's any pre-game activities meant to pump up the crowd. This is a sportsmanship issue."
Utah High School Activities Association Executive Director Rob Cuff said there are two rules for pre-game rituals.
"It needs to be done in a sportsman-like manner, and it doesn't delay the start of the game," he said.
Richards-Khong said, "We are fierce competitors but we are also great sportsmen and that's what we want the message to be to our students."
She said the school will be petitioning to have that rule reconsidered.
Contributing: Rod Zundel
Compiled by: Linda Williams
