On Saturday night I shared a video on X (link here: https://x.com/MatuaKahurangi/status/1979452851563958568) showing Rawiri Waititi and his entourage performing a haka on the Great Wall of China. I captioned it:
“Possibly the most cringeworthy video of the year. Rawiri Waititi shared footage performing a haka on the Great Wall of China. Do they ever feel embarrassed? They honestly look like a bunch of clowns.”
The Great Wall of China was first built in the 7th century as a defence against invasions from nomadic tribes in the north. Over the centuries, successive Chinese dynasties expanded and fortified it to protect their territory, regulate trade and immigration, and as a symbol of Chinese power and cultural identity. It is a national monument that represents centuries of Chinese history, sacrifice, and strategic ingenuity.
Now imagine the outrage if a group of Chinese nationals turned up at Waitangi performing the dragon dance or tai chi outside the Mārae. The outcry would be deafening. “The Marae is for Māori only!” they would scream. For days we would hear how these foreigners had mocked Māori culture and disrupted a sacred space. There would be calls for apologies and endless commentary about cultural appropriation.
To be honest, we would probably end up hearing stories of Chinese nationals being scared for their lives after Māori extremists allegedly shouted things like: “f…en yellow bald head c…,” “a piece of s..t,” and threats to “f…ing knock them out.” Thank you, Eru Kapa-Kingi, for that colourful te reo. It is astonishing that this behaviour is considered acceptable or worthy of celebration when directed overseas.
Another glaring point is that the so-called ‘warriors’ in this video are certainly not the Māori we constantly hear about living in poverty. These people look like they have never missed their weekly bucket of KFC. Poverty, hunger, and hardship are realities often cited by Māori leaders, however the people in this video appear well-fed, well-resourced, and far removed from the struggles that most New Zealanders associate with Māori communities.
A few people on X were asking what he was doing over there with his crew of pro-apartheid grifters, and I am not sure. For a moment I thought he might be chasing his ancestral roots, or maybe scouting for a new sweatshop investment, since he clearly loves wearing those Chinese-made Nikes and Air Jordans.
While ordinary New Zealanders work hard and pay their taxes, some of that money ends up supporting cultural trips abroad that are more about pageantry and self-promotion than addressing real issues at home. So next time you glance at your payslip or file your tax return, pause for a moment. Think about where your money is going. Chances are, it is helping fund Māori separatists to perform the most cringeworthy haka 9,000 kilometres away in China instead of tackling pressing social problems here in New Zealand.
Note: I cannot say for certain if the trip was taxpayer funded, but we do pay Rawiri Waititi’s salary, so indirectly, the answer is yes. Chances are it was funded by taxpayers anyway, because, as we all know, Māori tend to do best when it comes to government handouts.
