FF-2739
The evidence strongly supports the sporting and commercial context. By 1908 the success of New Zealand’s Haka had created an expectation that touring teams would provide a distinctive pre-match spectacle.
Australian rugby had a problem: the historical record shows different Aboriginal groups using different war cries and war songs, not one national “Aboriginal war cry” that could simply become Australia’s equivalent of the Haka.
The Wallabies instead adopted Newtown Rugby Club’s recently used routine. Moran later said the Rugby Union’s final argument for continuing it was its “box-office value”. That is direct evidence that audience appeal formed part of the justification for the performance.
Was it fabricated? That remains unclear. What is clear is that the need for a spectacle does explain why a local or supposedly local Aboriginal-derived performance could have been adapted and promoted as a national Australian sporting spectacle.
"*" indicates required fields
