Haka

The Rugby World Cup will see the All Blacks perform the haka 'Ka Mate' which has been performed at many great rugby matches and official functions since 1906 until 2005 when the All Blacks introduced a new haka 'Kapa O Pango'. Te Rauparaha, a tribal war leader composed 'Ka Mate' as a celebration of life over death after escaping his enemies. Translated from Maori to English, the main art of the haka declares

Ka mate! Ka mate! Ka ora! Ka ora! I die! I die! I live! I live!
Ka mate! Ka mate! Ka ora! Ka ora! I die! I die! I live! I live!
Tenei te tangata puhuru huru This is the hairy man
Nana nei i tiki mai Who fetched the Sun
Whakawhiti te ra And caused it to shine again
A upa ... ne! ka upa ... ne! One upward step! Another upward step!
A upane kaupane whiti te ra! An upward step, another.. the Sun shines!!