My New Zealand – The Haka

This video is of the New Zealand All Blacks doing the Haka, a traditional Maori War dance. My Dad used to do the Haka at rugby games when I was a little girl. He played some pretty hard core rugby in new Zealand before coming to Canada. The haka as composed by Te Rauparaha begins with a chant: Kikiki kakaka kauana! Kei waniwania taku tara Kei tarawahia, kei te rua i te kerokero! He pounga rahui te uira ka rarapa; Ketekete kau ana to peru kairiri Mau au e koro e – Hi! Ha! Ka wehi au ka matakana, Ko wai te tangata kia rere ure? Tirohanga ngā rua rerarera Ngā rua kuri kakanui i raro! Aha ha! Then follows the main body of the haka: Ka mate, ka mate! ka ora! ka ora! Ka mate! ka mate! ka ora! ka ora! Tēnei te tangata pūhuruhuru Nāna nei i tiki mai whakawhiti te rā Ā, upane! ka upane! Ā, upane, ka upane, whiti te ra! ’Tis death! ‘tis death! (or: I may die) ’Tis life! ‘tis life! (or: I may live) ’Tis death! ‘tis death! ’Tis life! ‘tis life! This the hairy man that stands here… …who brought the sun and caused it to shine A step upward, another step upward! A step upward, another… the Sun shines! Click here for more info on the Haka!

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