Quotes about UH's ha'a

About how he practiced UH's ha'a yesterday, Colt said of the new chant and motions:
"I've got to learn, too." (HA)

HA Note: "Brennan is suffering from a sprained right ankle. He was on crutches, and did not participate in yesterday's conditioning drills. After the 30-minute workout, the Warriors gathered at midfield to rehearse their version of the haka. Brennan rehearsed while on crutches."


About how Colt wants to learn their ha'a, co-writer Brad Kalilimoku said:
"Colt is really into it." (HA)


Wanting to perform the ha'a on Saturday, Colt said:
"I've got to learn the words and motions. I've got to be ready for this Saturday. It's important." (HA)

HA Note: "Meanwhile, the Warriors' new haka-like ritual will make its Aloha Stadium debut. They performed it before the UNLV game. The chant and motions took more than a month to develop.

Last year, the Warriors performed the haka, a Maori war chant, during warm-ups and after victories. This year, the players decided that they wanted to create a chant that was reflective of the team's personality and Polynesian cultures.

Kalilimoku, defensive tackle Keala Watson and cornerback Ryan Keomaka crafted the words. They consulted with award-winning recording artist Tony Conjugacion."


About how their ha'a is different than their haka last year, Kalilimoku said:
"It's not like a haka. It's a thing that bonds us together as a team and is a way to thank people. The important thing is we wanted it to represent Hawai'i and the people. ... We have players from the Mainland and different ethnicities, but we all come together and bond as one. Hawai'i is a special place, and we're a special team." (HA)

HA Note: "Cornerback Guyton Galdeira said he choreographed "simple motions" to "match the words." Galdeira said his teammates were quick to learn."


About how some players didn't participate in the haka last year, but this year they have full participation, Keala Watson said:
"Last year some people sat on the side because they didn't understand fully the concept. Now they feel like it's their own." (HA)