Voodoo Vince

DOES NEW ZEALAND CONSIDER DAVID BECKHAM... FRIEND OR FOE?

IT'S not everyday that David Beckham gets greeted by a spear-wielding warrior who makes threatening gestures at him, and throws a dart at his feet to determine if Golden Balls is a friend or foe.


LA Galaxy's David Beckham touches noses with a member of the official Maori welcoming party on his arrival in Wellington, New Zealand yesterday. -- Picture: AP

And it's not everyday that people find an excuse to give Beckham a hongi, the traditional Maori greeting of New Zealand that involves pressing one's nose against another person's nose.

The outcome of all that nose pressing and spear-wielding?

Becks was no longer considered a manhuiri (Maori for visitor), but rather, a tangata whenua, one of the people of the land, reported Hello! magazine.

In New Zealand with his Los Angeles Galaxy soccer team, Beckham said of the greetings: 'It's just nice to be able to visit a country and be given a welcome like that.

'The love and passion we've been shown by the people has been incredible.'

And Beckham would have been prepared for that greeting.

Watching the All Blacks play rugby on television had already given him respect for the haka war challenge.

'I'd love to stand in front of the All Blacks and see them do it,' he said.

But there was more love and passion to come, that from the screaming hordes of young women and fans, many of them teenage girls.

Not too focused about the football game, the girls called out to Beckham: 'We love you David', reported AFP.

One female fan said: 'I kissed him.

'He seemed quite shy, a real cutie. I need a cigarette and a whisky now.'

Beckham has been delighted with the adulation of fans in Australia and New Zealand on the short Galaxy tour.

LOVES THE PASSION
'It's amazing. We have gone through this trip and the love and passion we've been shown by the people has been incredible so far,' he said.

Although much of the interest in Beckham is for his status as a style icon and global celebrity, he is hoping football will get a boost in a country where rugby is 'notoriously big' he said.

'I hope we can change that just for one day and hopefully going forward.'

The England international may get his wish with 15,000 school children expected to watch the Galaxy train today.

'To have 15,000 kids and people who want to come and watch us train, I'm not sure I've had that before.'

The match is expected to come close to selling out the 34,500-seat Westpac Stadium in Wellington and to break the attendance record for a New Zealand football match.

Beckham said he was excited about tomorrow's match.

He is hoping to play 90 minutes in the friendly and repeat his trademark 'Bend it like Beckham' goal from a free kick which lit up the Sydney match for 80,000 fans.

LA Galaxy lost to Sydney FC 5-3 on Tuesday night in Sydney.

http://newpaper.asia1.com.sg/news/st...49312,00.html?

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