Hey,
I am the daughter of the museum director of the New Zealand Rugby Museum. You'd think immediately I'd love rugby, being a kiwi and having my whole family obsessed with it. At first I didn't until our recent trip to Wales during the RWC opened my eyes.
When my family look back on the past, a lot of rugby events are coincided with my big life events. The 1999 World Cup was the year I was born, and since then I can remember sitting around the TV with my family's eyes glued to it. I remember being dreadfully frightened every time my dad gave giant whoops and my mum swore watching the games. I remember the sense of pride we were able to have everytime the All Blacks won. I remember making our picks on who'd make the first try.
Going over to the UK for the Rugby World Cup has been something my parents dreamed of, and I didn't know why. Once we got over there (once we thoroughly assured people we were indeed not Australian... There's a difference !!) as soon as we declared our kiwiness, everyone immediately asked "You here for the rugby?"
How amazing is that, that the first thing you think of when you hear New Zealand, is rugby. Rugby has shaped our country and is thoroughly embedded into our culture and history. The 1989 Springbok Tour is one popular example, the time NZ was introduced to segregation and apartheid. The 1925 Invincibles are another, they truly were and are legends. The greatest team of all time?
Individual players have made their mark and our continuing to, right now. Players like George Nepia, Jonah Lomu, Richie McCaw, Tana Umaga, Don Clarke, And if I was my dad writing this the list would be huge (but if you are visiting New Zealand.. Pop into the Palmerston North NZ Rugby Museum inside Te Manawa ! hey I had to put in a promo somewhere!!)
The thing is, my Dad told a story whilst in Wales. It stirred me up as much as it stirred him up!
Dad went to Christchurch on one of his work trips, and he was talking to a lady at a museum of mostly NZ History. Anyway, so he's talking to this woman about how NZ Rugby is our culture. This lady scoffs and goes, "What? Rugby?" She continues on dismissing him and denies how rugby has shaped New Zealand.
This woman clearly had no clue about what New Zealand really is. (not a dig at that museum by the way! Just thought I'd make sure Dad doesn't get in trouble ;) )
New Zealand is our green lush forests, our funny looking birds (I'm looking at you, Kiwi), Te Reo Maori, three islands, the crowded pubs full of faces only looking at a screen, the kids kicking around a rugby ball at home pretending to be Dan Carter, the smell of oranges at half time Saturday morning sports. NZ rugby thrives because we have passion in it.
I think the point of art is that art isn't stuck to paintings. Art is passion, and it may be cheesy and weird but I think Rugby is art.
When we watched just recently a few All Blacks pool games in Millenium and Wembley, I was so proud to be sporting a black fern on my face. I was proud to see passersby looking at us, I was proud to be a part of New Zealand, and I am.
I don't know where this post went, but I will admit I hope dad doesn't read this! He's rather cheesy himself ;)
By the way, I'm just editing this post on the day New Zealand won the Rugby World Cup for 2015 ...
Love,
Georgia Maree xx
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