What is the Tonga ‘Haka’ called, what are the words, and what Rugby World Cup teams have a pre-match dance? – The Scottish Sun
THE Rugby World Cup is underway and fans are excited to see the legendary haka.
And Tonga will do their pre-match war dance against South Africa in the tournament tonight.
1
Which Rugby World Cup teams do a war dance before the game?
In addition to the All Blacks, all three participating Pacific islands – Fiji, Samoa and Tonga – perform a war dance before the game.
What is the name of the Tonga dance and what are the lyrics?
Tonga’s war dance is called Sipi Tau and was written in 1994 by King Tama Tu’i Tāufaʻāhau Tupou IV.
It was written to commemorate a successful New Zealand tour that year and has included a variety of different lyrics since then.
The Sipi Tau is one of the most entertaining dances in world rugby, not least because the Tongans have competed against New Zealand and the haka so often at World Cups.
In a match in 2003, Tonga and New Zealand even simultaneously performed sipi tau and haka in a dance-off.
The current text is from 2011 and is as follows:
Tongan
Teuaki ki he tau!
Tonga!
Teu lea pea tala ki mamani katoa
Ko e ʻIkale Tahi kuo halofia.
Ke ʻilo ʻe he sola mo e taka
Ko e ʻaho ni te u tamate tangata,
“A e haafe mo e tautuaʻa
Kuo huʻi hoku anga tangata.
Egg!
E!
Egg!
E!
Te u peluki and molo mo e foueti taka,
Pea ngungu mo ha loto fitaʻa
Ngungu!
“Io!
Ngungu!
“Io!
Ko Tonga pe mate ki he moto (leader)
Otua mo Tonga ko hoku tofi’a
Hey!
TONGA!
English
Get ready for battle!
Tonga!
I will speak to the whole world
The sea eagles are starving and unfolding.
The foreigner and traveler should be careful
Today, destroyer of souls, I am everywhere
To the halfback and the backs
My humanity is gone.
Hey! Hey!
Yes!
Yes!
Yes!
Mouth and loose forward I should mow
And crush all the wild hearts you know
Crunch!
Yes!
Crunch!
Yes!
This is how Tonga dies to its motto
God and Tonga are my inheritance.
Yes / Yes!
Tonga!
What is the name of the Fiji dance and what are the lyrics?
Fiji’s war dance is called Cibi and was invented in 1939 by then captain Ratu Cakobau to compete with the haka on a tour of New Zealand.
The lyrics of the song are as follows:
Fijian
(Leader) Vaka rough! Cibi!
Ai part vovo, part vovo
E ya, e ya, e ya, e ya;
Part vovo, part vovo
E ya, e ya, e ya, e ya
Rai tu mai, rai tu mai
Oi au a virviri kemu bai
Rai tu mai, rai tu mai
Oi au a virviri kemu bai
Toa yalewa, toa yalewa
Veico, Veico, Veico
Au taboo moce koi au
Au moce ga ki domo ni biau
E luvu koto ki ra nomu waqa
Oh kaya beka au sa luvu sara
Nomu bai e wa mere
Au tokia ga ka tasere
Tulletule buka in dredre
Tulletule buka in dredre
Tou vaka tosoya
Vaka malua.
E ya, e ya, e ya, e ya
English
Get ready! Cibi!
The war fence, the war fence,
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh,
The war fence, the war fence
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
Look here, look here,
I attack your defenses,
Look here, look here,
I attack your defenses
A rooster and a hen,
They attack, attack, attack
I am forbidden to sleep
Except for the sound of crashing waves
Your ship lies sunk below,
They say I might have drowned.
Your fence is made of nothing but crepes
I peck at it and it opens.
I turn the tree over to uproot it,
It’s difficult, but it’s there.
The tree is out of the ground
We slowly manage to move it.
Oh oh oh oh oh!
What is the name of the Samoan dance and what are the lyrics to the song?
Samoa’s war dance is called Siva Tau.
It was first used in 1991 after the rugby team switched from the more traditional Maulu’ulu Moa to a song that they felt cheered on the players more effectively.
The lyrics of the song are as follows:
Samoan
Samoa!
Tatou oe tau le taua!
Tau e matua tau!
Fai ia mafai!
Le Manu!
Team: Oh yeah!
Le Manu Samoa and a few times a Fai or a Faiva
Le Manu Samoa and a few times a Fai or a Faiva
Le Manu Samoa has left us
Leai se isi Manu oi le atu laulau
You’re no match for me
O lou malosi and atoatoa
Ia e faatafa ma e soso ese
Read the manual and keep reading
Le Manu Samoa
Le Manu Samoa
Le Manu Samoa eo mai I Samoa
Le Manu!
English
Samoa!
Let’s go to war!
Fight fiercely!
Work to achieve something!
The Manu!
Let’s go!
The Manu Samoa, may your mission be successful
The Manu Samoa, may your mission be successful
The Manu Samoa here we came
There is no other Manu (team) anywhere.
Here I am completely prepared
My strength is at its peak
Make room and move aside
Because this Manu is unique
The Manu Samoa
The Manu Samoa
The Manu rules Samoa from Samoa
The Manu!
