A
Anonymous
Guest
They ALWAYS went out the the center of the field before a match and did this war challenge & chant (Haka Tu Taua & Weru). They taught it to the rest of us. It was a lot of fun and got you real pumped up. But I could never get my eyes to bug out when I stuck out my tongue like they did! <img src="/metal/html/biggrin.gif" border=0 width=15 height=15 alt="
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You always knew if you made a good play or showed a willingness to get hurt because that's the ONLY time the Maori boys would come up smash their forehead and nose on yours (it's called a hongi - or greeting - "sharing breath") and say, "Good on ya!" That was big praise!
Even if you messed up, they'd still usually say, "No worries." And if you did something really great they'd give you a "shout" after the game which means they're gonna buy you a drink!
I still remember a few more words they used all the time and taught us:
Aotearoa (land of the long white cloud): New Zealand.
Kia ora: Hi.
Haere mai: Welcome.
Haka: Chant with dance for the purpose of challenge.
Iti: Small (They always said I was too iti to play)
Iwi: tribe (They called the company, platoon or team their Iwi, also)
Kai: Food
Kaumatua: Elder or elders.
Mana: Authority and power. (They called me Mana Aba - Short for Seargent Abshire)
Manga: Stream
Maunga: Mountain
Moana: Sea
Motu: Island
Pakeha: New Zealanders of European origin. (Kinda like the Hawaiians called us Haolis)
Roto: Lake
Tai: Coast
Tama: Son
Tamahine: Daughter
Tamariki: Children
Tangata whenua: Original people belonging to a place (They often referred to the locals as the Tang whe for short)
Tapu: sacred, not to be touched. (There were a LOT of these, it seemed)
Wahine: Women
Wai: Water
Wharenui: Meeting house.
Whenua: Land.
That's about all I can remember. How'd I do? It WAS 20 years ago! <img src="/metal/html/lol.gif" border=0 width=15 height=15 alt=":lol">
<FONT COLOR="#ff0000">If others reading this would like to hear the haka the link will take you to a site (below the picture) that plays it in the background. The clapping sound are the men and boys slapping their arms and chests.</FONT>
<FONT COLOR="#ff0000"><BIG><CENTER><STRONG>The New Zealand Rugby team - The All Blacks</STRONG></CENTER></BIG></FONT>
">You always knew if you made a good play or showed a willingness to get hurt because that's the ONLY time the Maori boys would come up smash their forehead and nose on yours (it's called a hongi - or greeting - "sharing breath") and say, "Good on ya!" That was big praise!
Even if you messed up, they'd still usually say, "No worries." And if you did something really great they'd give you a "shout" after the game which means they're gonna buy you a drink!
I still remember a few more words they used all the time and taught us:
Aotearoa (land of the long white cloud): New Zealand.
Kia ora: Hi.
Haere mai: Welcome.
Haka: Chant with dance for the purpose of challenge.
Iti: Small (They always said I was too iti to play)
Iwi: tribe (They called the company, platoon or team their Iwi, also)
Kai: Food
Kaumatua: Elder or elders.
Mana: Authority and power. (They called me Mana Aba - Short for Seargent Abshire)
Manga: Stream
Maunga: Mountain
Moana: Sea
Motu: Island
Pakeha: New Zealanders of European origin. (Kinda like the Hawaiians called us Haolis)
Roto: Lake
Tai: Coast
Tama: Son
Tamahine: Daughter
Tamariki: Children
Tangata whenua: Original people belonging to a place (They often referred to the locals as the Tang whe for short)
Tapu: sacred, not to be touched. (There were a LOT of these, it seemed)
Wahine: Women
Wai: Water
Wharenui: Meeting house.
Whenua: Land.
That's about all I can remember. How'd I do? It WAS 20 years ago! <img src="/metal/html/lol.gif" border=0 width=15 height=15 alt=":lol">
<FONT COLOR="#ff0000">If others reading this would like to hear the haka the link will take you to a site (below the picture) that plays it in the background. The clapping sound are the men and boys slapping their arms and chests.</FONT>
<FONT COLOR="#ff0000"><BIG><CENTER><STRONG>The New Zealand Rugby team - The All Blacks</STRONG></CENTER></BIG></FONT>