KA MATE!                  KA MATE!
It is death!                     It is death!
We were at war              
KA ORA!                   KA ORA!
It is life!                      It is life!
But now there is peace.                
KA MATE!                  KA MATE!
We're going to die!              We're going to die!
We thought we were all going to die
KA ORA!                   KA ORA!
We're going to live!             We're going to live!
but now we are safe
TENEI  TE  TANGATA        PU-HURU-HURU
This is the  man,                so hairy
because our leader, so strong and masculine,
NANA  NEI  I  TIKI  MAI,  WHAKAWHITI  TE  RA!
who               fetched,  and  made shine     the  sun! 
has unified us and brought back the sunny days of peace!
UPANE!                    KA UPANE!
Together!                       Keep together!
We are all working in harmony, side by side, 
HUPANE!                  KAUPANE! 
Up the step!                    A second step!
making steady progress
WHITI   TE    RA!         HI!
Out comes the    sun!           Ahh!
to prolong these sunny days of peace.

Variations of the warm-up haka Ringa Pakia are sometimes used as an introduction to this haka.

Whatiwhati to hope! Ringa pakia e! Waewae takahia! Ka huri o kanohi e!

Sway your hips Slap your thighs Move your feet Turn your eyes

B. How can we chant the Haka like the All Blacks?

Maori pronunciation is basically one syllable per vowel , "Ka ma - te", "ta - nga - ta"

When there is no consonant between two vowels, the second vowel is blended into the preceeding syllable, so Ka o-ra is pronounced 'Cow ra,' and Nei i is pronounced "Nay."

'Wha' is pronounced 'fa' by most people.

And the final Hi! is pronounced 'He,' with a quick puff of breath, not 'High.'

The All Blacks used to chant Ka Mate in the traditional way, but since 2007 they have developed a briefer, faster version.

1. This is the All Blacks' 1990s chant. It is similar to most traditional Maori performances of it.

   KA MA-TE!   KA MA-TE!  KAO -RA,    KAO -RA 

    KA MA-TE!   KA MA-TE!  KAO -RA,    KAO -RA  

   TE-NEI TE   TA-NGA-TA  PU -  -RU - HU -RU

   NA     NEI   TI-KI MAI    *  WHAKA -WHI-TI TE  RAAA!

   AH...     U - PA - NE !    AH...    HU - PA - NE !

A HU-PA-NE! KAU-PA-NE! WHI-TI TE  RAA !      HI !

A KA MA-TE!   KA MA-TE!   KAO -RA,   KAO -RA 

A KA MA-TE!   KA MA-TE!   KAO -RA,   KAO -RA  

A TE-NEI TE   TA-NGA-TA   PU -HU-RU -HUU -RU

   NA NEI      TIKI WHAKA-WHI-TI TE..

  ..RA! U-PANE  KA  U-PANE! 
     
A  HU-PA-NE!    K'U-PA-NE! WHI-TI TE RAA  
  
   HI !

C. How can we chant Ka Mate in the old traditional way?

3. This 1950s Te Arawa version of the chant is close to the 1990s All Black version.

AH! KA MATE! KA MATE! KAO -RA, KAO -RA KA MATE! KA MATE! KAO -RA, KAO -RA A TEE-NEI TE TA-NGA-TA PU-HU-RU-HU-RU NAA - NEI TI-KI MAI WHAKA-WHITI TE RA! AH... U - PA - NE ! AH... HU - PA - NE ! HU-PA-NE! KAU-PA-NE! WHI-TI TE RAAA !

But there are other traditional versions with different structures.

4. Here is a 1950s Tuhoe chant with an off-beat PUHU- and some AUEs added.

KA MATE! KA MATE! KAO -RA, KAO -RA KA MATE! KA MATE! KAO -RA, KAO -RA TE-NEI TE TA-NGA-TA * PU-HU- RU HU-RU NA-NA NEI * TI-KI MAI WHAKA -WHITI TE ... ..RA! AU-E! U - PA - NE! AU-E! U-PA-NE! U -PA-NE! KAU-PA-NE WHI-TI TE RAAA !

5. And these Hato Petera College boys from the Auckland region drop the "Pu" completely.

KA MATE! KA MATE! KAO -RA, KAO -RA KA MATE! KA MATE! KAO -RA, * A TE-NEI TE TA-NGA-TA ' HU-RU - HU-RU NA'A - NEI TI-KI MAI * WHA-KA-WHITI TE RA! AH... U - PA - NE ! AH... HU - PA - NE ! HU-PA-NE! KAU-PA-NE! WHI-TI TE RA HI!

D. How can we avoid getting muddled up in the middle?

How often do we hear "Tenei te tangatapuhuhuhuhuhuhuhuwhiti te ra?

1. Be aware that there are different ways of chanting the "Puhuru Huru" bit.

2. If you are mostly non-Maori, choose the 1990s All Black version.

3. If all of you are Maori, but most of the others are from a different tribal area, follow their lead.

4. Have a few practices beforehand. Ka pai?

NEXT - 2. the Ka Mate actions

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