Scuttlebutt Photos:

Maori Warriors

Haka at the Team Race Worlds

(September 26, 2005) The lawn at Harbour Court, that of New York Yacht Club’s outpost in Newport, RI, has surely been host to countless swanky events. America’s Cup lore drips from the place, but this week the Grey Goose ISAF Team Racing Worlds are at the address, and one of the contending entrants, Team New Zealand, brought along the culture of their native Maori people to the Opening Ceremonies.

Members of Team New Zealand performed the Haka at Opening Ceremonies. Haka is the generic name for all Maori dance, which Maori men once performed before going into battle. It is characterized by heavy stomping, loud chanting, and aggressive body movements, and is used to proclaim their strength and prowess and to generally abuse the opposition.

The most famous modern use is its regular performance by the New Zealand All Blacks rugby team prior to each game, and here are some images of their sailing counterparts using their county’s history to hopefully make some of their own:

Photo by Dan Nerney

Photo by Michael Levitt