Tongan War Dance
November 16, 2006
This is from page one of today’s WSJ. Anyone with even a passing interest in Polynesian culture will love this article. My passing interest comes from enjoying a tour of the Polynesian Cultural Center on Oahu a few years ago (quite a few, now that I think of it).
A Tongan War Dance Enlivens Football In Euless, Texas - WSJ.com
BEDFORD, Texas — For as long as anybody can remember, the stereotypical Texas high-school football player has been the saddle-tough son of the West Texas prairie.
So imagine a recent evening when the Odessa Permian Panthers, whose historic dominance of Texas football inspired the book, movie and TV series “Friday Night Lights,” looked across the field and saw the rival Trinity Trojans doing a Polynesian war dance.
At the sound of a tone blown over a large conch shell, 17-year-old senior defensive tackle Alex Kautai threw off his helmet, freeing a mane of curly black hair. He shouted several sentences in a foreign tongue and waved his arms as 93 visibly agitated teammates gathered behind him on the sidelines.
On cue, they dropped into a wide, crouching stance and began the ritual known as the haka. “Ka Mate! Ka Mate! Ka Ora!” (We’re going to die! We’re going to die! We’re going to live!), they chanted in unison as the fans went wild. For the next 60 seconds, the players acted out an ancient battle in which a big hairy man saves the life of a Maori chieftain.
With each phrase, the players slapped their thighs, arms or chests. They stomped back and forth, symbolically thrusting and jabbing at the enemy. At the end of the dance, Mr. Kautai jumped in the air and landed on one foot, his right fist in the air and his tongue lolling out of his mouth as he sneered fiercely.
It looks to me that Texas high school football will never be the same. It’s a wonder that the Bedford team can find any team willing to play them.
Dave, trying to wag his tongue, Tonga style.
Comments
8 Responses to “Tongan War Dance”
Got something to say?
And–who won the game?
Oh, the game.
Guess.
The war dance worked very handily, something like 40-15.
Kia Ora:
I am writing you in response to the “Tongan Haka “that was the center of discussion on the 5:00pm Channel 2 News tonight and also the news articles written concerning the above subject.
Words cannot express the feelings my whanau (Family) and I felt as we watched OUR MAORI CULTURE not only be miss represented by your university but our History stolen by the TONGANS who attend this College.
To begin with WHOEVER TOLD YOU AND THE PRESS THAT THIS IS A TONGAN WAR DANCE has grossly misinformed you all.
This is not only a MAORI WAR CHANT it is the genealogy and history of my ancestor Te Rauparaha - Who was the Maori Paramount Chief, of the Ngati Toa tribe in New Zealand. Ignorance at any level is a poor excuse to disrespect another persons culture, while the words were changed the Haka is the Haka.
I use the word “ignorance” not as a negative but more as a descriptive word to describe those who know nothing of the culture and yet choose to look the other way if it will further their cause, in this case a classic example of “ignorance is bliss”
If on the other hand I am wrong and you know not what you are doing than let me be the first to apologize. Perhaps I can give you a little incite as to why what is happening at your college is very offensive to my people and the Polynesian people at large.
To watch our History being associated with the many TONGANS who have moved from the islands and have bought with them their “Tongan War Dance.” is an insult.
Their association with the HAKA is that they play football that’s it - The New Zealand All Black football team are know around the world for their Haka and have been for decades. The HAKA belongs to the MAORI Culture of New Zealand - IT NEVER HAS AND NEVER WILL BE A “Tongan war dance.”
While many universities such as BYU and UH do the Haka it is totally acceptable because:
1) Coach Mendenhalls whanau have lived amongst the Maori people of NZ for decades and even he has been through the correct protocols to get permission from a Maori elder and later on dedicated it to a Young Maori Players father who passed away just before he joined the team.
2) UH has many Maori people associated with the University so they are very culturally sensitive.
The Wairua (Spirit ) that accompanies this Haka can be like a two edged sword while you bask in the GLORY of your great football success. If you continue to abuse it, be assured it will come back to you all in another way.
Earlier on this year our whanau (Family) were asked to do a workshop specifically on the Haka to over 500 senior Polynesian students at Salt Lake Community College. The objective was to help them to learn how to respect other peoples cultures and in this case the MAORI HAKA. How grateful I am to have been given that opportunity to share our culture and know that if those youth were going to do the Haka in their schools they would make sure and do it the right way but more important to do it for the right reasons.
The Protocol would be consistent with all cultures to:
1) Get permission from the right people.
2) Be taught by the right people and
3) Last but by no means lest acknowledge and respect the culture to whom has it belonged.
To our Polynesian cousins we ask that you make it right find one of our Maori Elders who can teach you the true history behind Ka mate Ka mate, instead of making up an explanation, the correct way to perform it but most important the right reasons when & why football teams use it today. The history of Ka mate Ka mate is not what you all expect.
I’m sure the article quoted meant no disrespect to Polynesian culture, and I apologize for giving it space on the Orlop.
New Zealand Haka ,Tongan war dance,I love watching both at the start of a Rugby game.love and peace to all. From down under.
NEVER AGAIN, last year our sophmores beat them this year our sophmores and junior varsity beat them and next year me, leai and lehi will lead the team to victory LD BELL
Show no Fear
Susanne Settle
I respect your opinion and passion for your culture and ancestors. I, Sesimani Ungounga; which is Tongan. Speak for all my peolpe of the KINGDOM OF TONGAN are also passionate of our culture and what comes with it. The Haka was created from the sports of Rugby and that when you play another culture. The Haka was to intiminate the other team. It was not only created for the Island of Tonga but the whole entire Polynesian Islands which is also where you are from; New Zealand. I know of this information because the Haka was from the idea of a man that I had admire and miss so dearly “King Tupou” of Tonga. So as I read your comment and you said “Stolen by Tongans”. Its not the press that misunderstood nor my peolpe. It was you! They simply said “Haka created by the Polynesian Islands”. So don’t feel left out, because you and your ancestors were IN!
Suzanne Settle and Princess Sesimani,
Thanks so much for your comments. My original, admittedly glib, post has unexpectedly opened up a new appreciation for Tongan culture.