Le rugby

The haka, or wardance comes from the culture of the aboriginal Maori people of New Zealand. It was made popular by the All Blacks rugby team, as soon as 1926 (see picture 13). Here we see both national teams, African Kenya’s and South Sea Tonga’s, expressing virile fraternity before a game that promises to be a fair contest. The players have taken off their shirts to demonstrate that patriotism will not be an excuse for hateful conflict and unfairness. It is a beautiful symbol of the educative ideal of sport as universal brotherhood.

The Commonwealth games are held every fourth year like the Olympic games. They started as British Empire games in 1930 and have been staged regularly ever since. There are 54 members of the Commonwealth of Nations, but 71 teams participate in the Commonwealth Games : a number of British overseas territories, Crown dependencies, and island states compete under their own flag. The four Home Nations of the United Kingdom – England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland – also send separate teams.

Les équipes du Kenya et des îles Tonga font un haka commun à la fin de leur match à Melbourne, en 2006 (Jeux du Commonwealth).