FOOTBALL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 297, 10 December 1908, Page 4

FOOTBALL.

CUiIIOUS WAli-CH!I> JIKAUI) ON THE RJOTIiALL KiKLD.

Once agiim a, strange war-cry i:, being chanted, in this country (savs a lloinol paper). It is that of the "Wallabies,ami is, per sample, thus: "Win nang a lan. Win nang a laii. Win inwig a hui—aaur. Mui ian yiJany. Bu rang a lan. Bu rang a lan. iiu rang a \iu — t vangT'

Kearful as it looks, it sounds a goo.l deal worse, while the gestures wliich accompany its d'elivery are terrifying; but the meaning is all'right. The whole alognn, which is in the weird language used by the aborigines of Australia, 1 may -be translated: "We are pleased to meet you. iiay the best niun win; but we v U beat you if we can." Curious are the slogans of the football field, Wc have a lew of our "vory i own," such us the Iluualcl war-son^,

known by e\L;ry "Bugger" 'enthusiast in Leeds, and ior many miles around, and we have heard in England similar cliants bailing from the Continent aud I the Colonies. tu» lo a inaLch when a j

stand is taken by Hie London New Zealand Society, and Jilled with Maorilanders, and you will know what will, unearthly whoops football can evoke. I'lte Maori fries are even more appalling than those raised by Canadian spectators; fur, though Iho men of the Dominion nearly spliL the heavens, thwy vary their d n by cnanting their admirj ation of a labourite player, as: "Joues! | Jones! We—like—Jones!" ! One of the lirst Colonial teams to use

a native war-cry in this country was that compov.'d of .Maoris, which some years back toured with much success in Great l»riiain. Before each match they massed, and exclaimed in ringing tones: ".Ake! Ake! Kia! Kaka!'' This was said to mean, "Be strong!"

In the lirst game of their tour tin: "New Zealmul Representatives" —as they styled themselves—appeared in

llax mats, mid armed with their mens, ojr nati\'e clubs; but; so much ridicule was poured on the pantomime that the mats aad nu-rcs were promptly discarded, though tile team continued to hurl the fearsome war-cry at their opponents.

The ".Ml Blacks'' also brought a warcry, which astonished spectators us much as their brilliant play, jiere is the English version; Leader: Jt i.-, death! It is death! Chorus: It is life! It is life!

This is the strong one, the man of the brawny tribe, Who has come to cause the sun I

to shine. Hurrah! Hurrah! He lias caused the sun to shine!

'the llaori cliiiiit was a prelude to every match, and was never omitted or allowed to be broken off. When the New Zcalanders played Blackheath, the referee bleu* his vvhistl'c for the start while the visitors were greeting tlwir opponents; but the strange cry went on to the end, without a break. In the Xorlll of England, too, some unmaiincrIv spectators burst into the local slogan before the -Maori chant was finished. Again, however, our visitors were unrull'led.

By far the most thrilling of our own football slogans are those of tin Welsh, who occasionally sing patriotic songs before beginning a match. The most remarkable instance was at Cardill', when. Wales defeated the "All Blacks, ' who had till then carried everything before them. After the Xeiv /eahinders had chanted their wur-song, the Welsh team sang "Land of our Fathers," and the vast assembly of forty thousand took up the strain: "Tile land of my fathers! The land of the flee!" The fervour, the unison, and the volume of sound electrified the New Zealanders.