College footballer Breiden Fehoko’s haka sent chills through the USA

WHEN footballer Breiden Fehoko and his family began performing the haka before a game, the USA didn’t quite know how to react.

WHEN footballer Breiden Fehoko’s family began performing the haka before LSU’s clash with Georgia this week, the USA didn’t quite know how to react.

The college star, dressed in a suit and tie on his way into the ground, immediately downed tools and joined in the war chant, leaving a few onlookers a little unnerved as his dad, Vili, rocked the metal barrier in front of him.

“What’s a haka?” Los Angeles’ The Advocate published immediately.

“It really doesn’t matter. There really isn’t a right or wrong way,” Fehoko said after a solid performance netting two tackles to reduce Georgia to 322 yards for the game.
“I saw (my dad) do it and in our culture, when somebody gifts you with the haka, you usually sit there, you receive it, you accept it. But I was about to go play a game. I’m not about to just sit there and let him do it. About to go play Georgia, the No. 2 team in the nation,” Fehoko said.

“I’ve got to get fired up somehow. I just dropped my stuff and the switch just flipped for me.”

Breiden Fehoko (@breidenfehoko4) joined his dad in the #Haka this time and it was even more awesome #LSU pic.twitter.com/PSqFAAkfS5

— Mark Clements (@MarkClements225) October 13, 2018

I would run through a brick wall if my pops came to the game and we did this

— AZ 🇧🇦👽 (@Ajdin_Zlatic) October 14, 2018

The young defensive lineman explained what the chant meant as journalists swooped in after the game, which was won 36-16 by LSU.

“The chant comes from the Maori culture. Basically what the words mean is that it’s preparing the young man, the soldier, back in the old days the warrior, to go to war,” he said. “He’s saying either he’s going to live or he’s going to die. I’m going to fight, I’m going to scratch, I’m going to claw for every breath I have and until the last breath I take I’m going to give it all I have. I’m going to fight for what I love.”

One of his teammates apparently told the Hawaiian-based star they’d be joining in after seeing the adrenaline it pumps into a player before taking the field.

“I gotta do it with you next time, man!” they said. “I’m doing it with your daddy next time.”

How was Georgia ever gonna have a chance against LSU after this? I’m not even a tigers fan and I almost ran through my living room wall I got so turnt up 😤 pic.twitter.com/Ou2pn7KLfs

— A West (@ayyy_west) October 14, 2018

WATCH: You've seen this blood-pumping chant before LSU games... Now hear the story behind Defensive End Breiden Fehoko and the "Haka" https://t.co/goAAaUY9QG pic.twitter.com/qe34qn16A3

— WBRZ News (@WBRZ) October 16, 2018

Originally published as College footballer Breiden Fehoko’s haka sent chills through the USA