When a now-deleted video of the players grinning while performing the haka dance was deemed to be disrespectful to New Zealanders, the Spanish women’s national team came under fire, as the players were accused of disrespecting Maori culture.
Meanwhile Spanish captain Ivana Andres has apologized to the local people in New Zealand on behalf of her team.
In order to honor their culture, the New Zealand rugby team and other athletes also perform the haka dance.
Andres asked for forgiveness from the local Rangitane tribe and said that they have a lot to learn about other culture.
“We have only been a few days in Aotearoa New Zealand and there’s still much to learn about this culture,” she said to the media.
Meanwhile, a Rangitane spokesperson accepted the apology and said that he was happy with the outcome at the ceremony.
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“Their words came from the heart and there was an acknowledgment that they understood the haka is a very precious, not only to Māori, but to all of Aotearoa,” he told the reporters.
Spain is in Group C with Zambia, Japan, and Costa Rica, where it will play its World Cup group games in New Zealand.
