My last Rugby League post before getting back to more familiar topics... (so to say, I recently found a series of photographies about Rugby League in France in the 30s...)
So... Australian Kangaroos touring in Europe Oct.1937 - Jan.1938... 35 games in England (P.25 W.13 D.1 L.11 - Test series 1-2) and France (P.10 W.9 L.1 - Test series 2-0). Sean Fagan gives more details and stats about this 7th Kangaroo Tour on his website rl1908.com.
Here are two pictures of the first Test Match played in Paris (Stade Buffalo) on January 1st 1938, won 35-6 by the ARL ruggers. The picture above brings classical rugby action, whereas the picture below shows the Kangaroos performing their "War Cry" before the kick-off... an Aboriginal "War Cry" that goes like :
Nah! Nah! Nah! Nah!
Cannai, Barrang, Warrang,
Warrang,Yallah, Yallah, Yallah, Yallah,
Ah! Jaleeba, Booga, Boorooloong,
Yarnah meei, meei, meei Meeyarra, Meeyarra, Jeeleebo, Cahwoon,
Cooeewah, Cooeewah, Wahh, Wooh.
(translation)
We are a race of fighters, descended from the War Gods -
Beware! Beware! Beware! Beware!
Where we fight there will be bloodshed -
Go! Go! Go! Go!
We are powerful, but merciful; are you friends?
Good! Good!
The Kangaroo is dangerous when at bay.
Come on, Come on, to Death.
RL1908.com (again... thank you, Sean!) will tell you everything about the history of this Kangaroo War Cry here ... a not-so-serious stuff aiming at entertaining European crowds and attracting more fee-paying patrons since 1908... actually, also a strong expectation from the English public for all Colonial teams, since 1905 All Blacks, 1906 Springboks and 1907 All Gold (Baskerville's New Zealand RL team) did all perform their own "war-cry" or "haka". The first Australians touring to England in 1908 didn't escape from delivering their own... as soon as they stepped out their boat...
Merci pour cet article, j'avais entendu parlé d'un "haka" des Sud-Africains et des Australiens mais je n'avais pas trouvé grand chose à propos.
Posted by: MHN | 15/04/2009 at 20:43