Intimidation

Two years ago I traveled with a group to New Zealand. Perhaps one of the most beautiful countries on earth, where I experienced one of the great sporting moments of my life.
Blogs give us the chance to write about what we know. I write about sports because that's what I know, and sports in a weird way, tells me about life, and communicates much more than what meets the eye.

During our journey to the south island, we stopped in a pub high in the mountains. The same mountains where director Peter Jackson filmed the majority of the Lord of the Rings Trilogy. The pub was buzzing with the pent up excitement seen only before the opening kick of a Tri-Nations Rugby Clash. This glorious night's battle was between the national rugby team of New Zealand, knicknamed the "All Blacks", and the hated Australian nationals, named "the Wallabies". The next few hours was filled with roaring homelanders, spurring their countrymen on to greater glory, enjoying the bounty of the land, racks of lamb around the house. You must understand this about me, I live for these types of experiences. This is the culture, these are the people.

That night I was introduced to the single most intimidating, awe-inspiring, emotional, moving, and freaking coolest pre-game ritual, speech, whatever you want to call it. I realize the running of the Sooner wagon is big, and Chief Osceola spearing the 50 means something, even 80,000 screaming "War Eagle" as the ball flies is special, and an octopus on the ice in Hoceytown smells awesome... But nothing! nothing, is like the "Haka" of the All Blacks!

The Haka, is a traditional Maori dance performed by the New Zealand Rugby team before each and every match it takes part in. Lead by its captain, and screamed by all 20-something players on the pitch. It is...(you fill in the blank)
Amazing.
The Maori people have always excelled in the art of haka, which is the generic term for Maori dance. Henare Teowai of Ngati Porou, an acknowledged master of the art of haka was asked on his death-bed, "What is the art of performing haka?".

"The haka is a composition played by many instruments. Hands, feet, legs, body, voice, tongue, and eyes all play their part in blending together to convey in their fullness the challenge, welcome, exultation, defiance or contempt of the words."

"It is disciplined, yet emotional. More than any other aspect of Maori culture, this complex dance is an expression of the passion, vigour and identity of the race. It is at it's best, truly, a message of the soul expressed by words and posture.."

The Leader barks out the opening lines:

Ringa pakia
Uma tiraha
Turi whatia
Hope whai ake
Waewae takahia kia kino

Slap the hands against the thighs
Puff out the chest
Bend the knees
Let the hip follow
Stamp the feet as hard as you can

The team roars to life chanting in unison the words below:

Ka mate! Ka mate! Ka ora! Ka ora!

I die! I die! I live! I live!

Ka mate! Ka mate! Ka ora! Ka ora!

I die! I die! I live! I live!

Tenei te tangata puhuru huru

This is the hairy man

Nana nei i tiki mai

Who fetched the Sun

Whakawhiti te ra

And caused it to shine again

A upa ... ne! ka upa ... ne!

One upward step! Another upward step!

A upane kaupane whiti te ra!

An upward step, another.. the Sun shines!!

Hi !!!

It is spectacular. Can you imagine staring across the field at very large men, screaming the language of their fathers, amping themselves for the confrontation before them. This is more than Rugby. This is more than a dance. This, is life.

Watch below.

All Black Haka , Game 3 2006 Tri Nations