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Ka Mate
"Ka Mate" is a Māori haka composed by Te Rauparaha, war leader of the Ngāti Toa tribe of the North Island of New Zealand. Te Rauparaha composed Ka Mate as a celebration of life over death (Pōmare 2006) after his lucky escape from pursuing Ngati Maniapoto and Waikato enemies. He had hidden from them in a food-storage pit, and climbed back into the light to be met by a chief friendly to him - Te Whareangi (the "hairy man").
"Ka Mate" is the most widely known haka in New Zealand and elsewhere because it has traditionally been performed by the All Blacks, New Zealand's international rugby union team, immediately prior to test (international) matches. Since 2005 the All Blacks have occasionally performed another haka, "Kapa o Pango".
| Lyrics |
English translation |
| Ka mate, ka mate! ka ora! ka ora! |
'Tis death! 'tis death! (or: I may die) 'Tis life! 'tis life! (or: I may live) |
| Ka mate! ka mate! ka ora! ka ora! |
'Tis death! 'tis death! 'Tis life! 'tis life! |
| Tē-nei te tangata pūhuruhuru |
This the hairy man that stands here... |
| Nāna nei i tiki mai whakawhiti te rā |
…who brought the sun and caused it to shine |
| Ā, upane! ka upane! |
A step upward, another step upward! |
| Ā, upane, ka upane, whiti te ra! |
A step upward, another... the Sun shines! |
ARTICLE REFERENCES:
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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