Petition to bring back the
Australian Warrama

It has taken the sport of Rugby League a number of years now, but finally we are discovering that sometimes the best way to move forward is to bring back parts of the past. The re-introduction of the Kangaroo tours, is just one of the parts of international Rugby League which the code so sorely missed, and based upon ticket sales in Britain, the fans of the sport are really getting behind it again.

The return of the Coat of Arms in the test match also this year was another aspect which was greeted with much joy, as the National side again finally showed the National emblem and as a result the special one off test match jersey was one of the top selling Rugby League jerseys for 2003.

The big push for the above ideas came a lot from the fans, and now its time for the fans to consider adding another tradition back to the Kangaroo internationals, and that?s the Aboriginal War Cry.

During the period of 1908 ? 1967, the Australian Kangaroos Rugby League team incorporated a chant and associated dance, not much different from the New Zealand Haka, and the war dances that other Polynesian nations have.

This war dance, which was known as the Australian Warrama purportedly originates from the fierce tribes of Stradbroke Island in Queensland, and both the Kangaroos and Wallabies use to use it in their 1908 tours. Union stopped using it soon after, whilst it had nearly a 60 year life in league.

Now some of you may feel that this is just an attempt to compete with the likes of the Kiwis with a pre-match war cry, but in reality, it is more of a recognition of our past, and bringing back an aspect of the Kangaroos which should of never left.

The war cry use to go like this:

Kangaroo War Cry: Wallee Mullara Choomooroo Tingal Nah! Nah! Nah! Nah! Channai, Barrang, Warran, Warrang Yallah, Yallah, Yallah, Yallah Ah! Jaleeba, Booga, Boorooloong Yanrah meei, meei, meei Meeyarra, Meeyarra, Jaleeba, Cahwoon Cooeewah, Cooeewah Wahh, Wahh

English Translation: We are a race of fighters Descendants from the War Gods Beware! Beware! Beware! Beware! Where we fight there will be great bloodshed Go! Go! Go! Go! We are powerful, but merciful Are you friends? Good! Good! The kangaroo is dangerous when at bay. Come on, Come on, to Death.

If you would like to submit your support for the re-introduction of the Australian Warrama please add your name to the petition located at: http://www.petitionpetition.com/cgi/petition.cgi?id=6212&action=read