WHILE most adolescent girls are dancing to the sounds of Robbie Williams, a group of Burnley teenagers have been getting to grips with a war dance from the southern hemisphere.

Pupils at Ivy Bank High School have been learning the New Zealand rugby team's Haka - the traditional Maori war dance used to intimidate opponents before matches.

The year 11 pupils spent hours rehearsing the moves and tongue-twisting Maori words.

It's all part of the build up to the Commonwealth Games in Manchester this year.

All UK schools are to receive an education pack that uses sport from around the Commonwealth to teach children about different cultures. Ivy Bank was chosen to get an advance copy because of the disturbances in the town this summer. Organisers want to demonstrate the importance of understanding.

PE teachers Sally Wallace and Jim Davies were responsible for getting the girls into shape for the Haka.

Sally said: "When they first started they found it quite difficult to be aggressive for the dance, but we got there in the end."

Headmaster Stephen Ball said he thought the education pack was a good idea.

"It helps young people to develop an understanding of different traditions and cultures," he said

Representatives of the Commonwealth Games organising committee were at the school to see the dance.

Patrick Langan, games marketing adviser, was also quizzed by one of the pupils on IBFM, the school radio station.

He said: "The Commonwealth Games is about the notion of friendliness and friendship.

"That is what brings the nations together and it is important that the different communities within the UK come together.

"They can do that by taking the example of the Commonwealth Games.

"It is important, particularly given the problems we had in Oldham, Burnley and Bradford, that we look forward and help the communities of the UK come together."

THE HAKA:

Ka mate, Ka mate! Ka ora, Ka ora!

Ka mate, Ka mate! Ka ora, Ka ora!

Tenei te tangata puhuruhuru

Nana I tiki mai whakawhiti te ra!

A hupane, kaupane

A hupane, kaupane whiti te ra!

Hi!

ENGLISH TRANSLATION:

Slap the hands against the thighs

Puff out the chest

Bend the knees

Let the hip follow

Stamp the feet as hard as you can

It is death! It is death!

It is life! It is life!

This is the hairy person

who caused the sun to shine

Keep abreast! Keep abreast!

The rank! Hold fast!

Into the sun that shines!