Team Samoa drew loud cheers after performing the siva tau during the opening ceremony of the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games in Scotland.
The Samoan athletes performed the traditional challenge twice as they marched into The Hydro arena on Friday. They changed the familiar “Manu Samoa” call to “Team Samoa” to represent the wider delegation.
The performance drew the attention of the 13,000 spectators and was acknowledged in official Olympic coverage, which described it as a “haka”.
Weightlifters Sanele Mao and Iuniarra Sipaia carried the Samoan flag during the Parade of Nations. Mao won Samoa’s first gold medal at the 2018 Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast, while Sipaia has set several Oceania weightlifting records.
Athletes representing Samoa in boxing, weightlifting, swimming and athletics were among the delegation at the ceremony. Samoa’s judo representatives are expected to arrive in Glasgow on 27 July.
