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!