This is an old newspaper photography (credit to Wes' excellent website...) showing the Gallaher boys performing the Haka in 1905.
It seems that these gentlemen take it with a smile... not so serious indeed...
Maybe an historian of All Blacks rugby (Sean ?) could explain the evolution, but here is a video of the "new" 2005 Haka ("Kapa o pango" during the TriSeries against South Africa)... brrr.... I don't like very much this (faint ?) aggressivity...
PS (March 3) : Sean Fitzpatick's answer in the New Zealand Herald (november 2005) - "Haka aimed at All Blacks, not rivals" (via Wes)
Technorati Tags: rugby, all blacks, haka
Dommage pour le Haka que les All Blacks de 2005 ne portent plus les tenues façon jupe-culotte de leurs aïeux...
Posted by: Raguenez | 04/03/2006 at 17:44
Read your thoughts with interest re the aggressiveness of the 2005 haka v the 1905 haka. Considering the early 1900's was a less then "enlightened" era for multicultural relations, could it be the smile / jokes in 1905 were less about enjoying sport but more about the a lack of respect for a very proud traddition of an indigenous population. In terms of how aggressive the haka is now portrayed, let us not forget that this was in days gone past a declaration of war. I have attached a link that translates the 2005 haka into English.
http://www.nzallblacks.net/haka.asp
Posted by: Brian | 12/04/2006 at 09:24
Thank you, Brian, I just did'ny know that the Haka performed last year in South Africa had different words...
Here is your translation :
The Te Rauparaha Haka:
Before the Haka is performed by the team, the Haka leader, normally an All Black of Maori descent, will instigate the Haka and spur on those who are to perform the Haka with the following.
Ringa pakia
Uma tiraha
Turi whatia
Hope whai ake
Waewae takahia kia kino
English Translation:
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.
Ka Mate! Ka Mate!
Ka Ora! Ka Ora!
Tenei te ta ngata puhuru huru
Nana nei i tiki mai
Whakawhiti te ra
A upane ka upane!
A upane kaupane whiti te ra!
Hi!!
English Translation:
It is death! It is death!
It is life! It is life!
This is the hairy person
Who caused the sun to shine
Keep abreast! Keep abreast
The rank! Hold fast!
Into the sun that shines!
Kapo o pango haka:
This haka was first performed by the All Blacks versus South Africa on 27 August 2005 at Carisbrook, Dunedin. The All Blacks won 31 - 27. This haka was written by Ngati Porou's Derek Lardelli. This haka will only be performed before special test matches.
Kapa o pango kia whakawhenua au i ahau!
Let me become one with the land
Hi aue, hi!
Ko Aotearoa e ngunguru nei!
This is our land that rumbles
Au, au, aue ha!
And it's my time! It's my moment!
Ko Kapa o Pango e ngunguru nei!
This defines us as the All Blacks
Au, au, aue ha!
It's my time! It's my moment!
I ahaha!
Ka tu te ihiihi
Our dominance
Ka tu te wanawana
Our supremacy will triumph
Ki runga ki te rangi e tu iho nei,
tu iho nei, hi!
And will be placed on high
Ponga ra!
Silver fern!
Kapa o Pango, aue hi!
All Blacks!
Ponga ra!
Silver fern!
Kapa o Pango, aue hi, ha!
All Blacks!
Posted by: Frederic | 12/04/2006 at 10:55
The war-cry originated with the NZ Native (Maori) team that toured Australia & the UK in 1888/89. The tour was a money-making venture for the promoters and players. They sought to increase crowds at matches by performing a haka in full Maori costume before and after games. They also performed concerts at local town halls etc.
The haka tradition (and the all black playing kit) stuck with subsequent NZ representative teams and became a tradition. In 1905 the NZ All Blacks made it so famous, that all subsequent colonial teams were expected to have a native war-cry too.
Frederic's observation is quite correct - the delivery of the haka is far more vigorous today than it ever was delivered by fine rugby gentlemen a century ago!
The All Blacks' haka is really our last link to rugby union in the 1880s, a time when the code embraced all classes of people & condoned forms of semi-professionalism amongst the players.
However, within a few years the RFU turned the code towards the ideals of pure amateurism, and the split that caused rugby league eventuated (1895).
In a truly amateur sense, the use of the war-cry should have been banned by the RFU as it was pure "show business".
Full story here:
http://www.colonialrugby.com.au/war-cry.htm
Posted by: Sean Fagan | 11/05/2006 at 01:31