Ka Mate

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Te Rauparaha, Ngāti Toa chief, 1840s

"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".

The haka as composed by Te Rauparaha begins with a chant:

Kikiki kakaka kauana!

Kei waniwania taku tara

Kei tarawahia, kei te rua i te kerokero!

He pounga rahui te uira ka rarapa;

Ketekete kau ana to peru kairiri

Mau au e koro e – Hi! Ha!

Ka wehi au ka matakana,

Ko wai te tangata kia rere ure?

Tirohanga ngā rua rerarera

Ngā rua kuri kakanui i raro! Aha ha!

Then follows the main body of the haka:

Ka mate, ka mate! ka ora! ka ora! Ka mate! ka mate! ka ora! ka ora! Tēnei te tangata pūhuruhuru Nāna nei i tiki mai whakawhiti te rā Ā, upane! ka upane! Ā, upane, ka upane, whiti te ra!	’Tis death! ‘tis death! (or: I may die) ’Tis life! ‘tis life! (or: I may live) ’Tis death! ‘tis death! ’Tis life! ‘tis life! This the hairy man that stands here... …who brought the sun and caused it to shine A step upward, another step upward! A step upward, another... the Sun shines!

[edit] See also

[edit] References

M. Pōmare, 'Ngāti Toarangatira', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, updated 9-Jun-2006, www.teara.govt.nz
M. Pōmare, 'Ngāti Toarangatira - Chant composed by Te Rauparaha', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, updated 26-Sep-2006, [1]