They’re the Icelandic anti-capitalist BDSM techno performance art group who are one of the favourites in this Saturday’s first semi-final of Söngvakeppnin 2019. Now Hatari has issued a challenge to Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The group has invited him to a bout of Icelandic trouser wrestling — and that’s not a euphemism.
The group made the announcement yesterday on Rás 2 Radio, with an “unofficial statement” in English read by an anonymous spokesperson for the band.
The band have challenged the prime minister of the Eurovision 2019 host country to a friendly game of glíma — Icelandic trouser-grip wrestling. The sport involves two opponents, each wearing a leather harness strapped around the waist and lower thighs. Glíma favours technique over strength and is the national sport of Iceland.
The Hatari-Netanyahu match would take place in Tel Aviv on May 19th, the day after the Eurovision grand final. This suggests that Hatari are planning to be in town, whether or not they win Söngvakeppnin 2019.
Hatari state that if their representative wins the game, then the band will be permitted to establish within Israel the “first ever Hatari-sponsored liberal BDSM colony on the Mediterranean coast”. If Netanyahu wins, then Israel will be given full control of Vestmannaeyjar, a small archipelago off the southern coast of Iceland.
Read the full statement from Hatari
This is unofficial statement from award winning Icelandic anti-capitalist BDSM techno performers art group Hatari:
We address our statement to Benjamin Netanyahu, prime minister of Israel and chairman of the Likud national-liberal movement.
We members of Hatari hereby challenge you to a friendly match of traditional Icelandic trouser grip wrestling, or glíma. The wrestling match is to take place on Magen David Square in Tel Aviv on May 19th at the time of your choosing.
We will use traditional Icelandic trouser grip rules; illegal holds and unsportsmanlike conduct will lead to disqualifications, and to ensure drengskapur [honour] is upheld, a neutral UN-sponsored referee will be present.
If the chosen Hatari trouser grip wrestling champion wins this fair match of glíma, members of Hatari reserve the rights to settle within your borders establishing the first ever Hatari-sponsored liberal BDSM colony on the Mediterranean coast. If prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu wins the glíma, the Israeli government will be given full political and economic control of South-Icelandic Island municipality Vestmannaeyjar. Members of Hatari will ensure the successful removal of the islands’ current inhabitants.
We await your swift response at our email address [email protected] or contact at Icelandmusicnews.com. Whichever you or your staff prefers.
Hatrið mun sigra, hate will prevail.
Tomorrow evening, Hatari will compete with their song “Hatrið mun sigra” in the first semi-final of Iceland’s national final Söngvakeppnin 2019. Joining them will be fellow competitors Daníel Óliver, Hera Björk, Kristina Skoubo Bærendsen and Þórdís Imsland. Two acts from each of the two semi-finals will qualify for the Icelandic grand final on 2 March.
Iceland has not made it to the Eurovision grand final since 2014 when Pollapönk placed 15th with “No Prejudice”. Most recently, Ari Olafsson placed last in his semi-final with the ballad “Our Choice”.
What do you think? Should Netanyahu take up the challenge? What other national final acts would you like to see involved in sports challenges? Tell us your thoughts below!
I had to find this post as soon as I saw this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KVIHglepSTI
I first liked them to represent my country but now they can F#%& off. I’ll support Friðrik Ómar instead.
I think they will become the next Silvia Night. No one will understand their real intention with this. Silvia Night was booed in the beginning of the Greeks because she said bad things about them (and other participants). But this was all a joke and part of her persona but people didn’t get this back then
Europe can’t manage its own “immigration crisis” (or let’s just face it, the “Islam crisis”), but dares to educate Israel on the subject.
European hypocrisy at its best.
Arent Israelis actually the immigrants in “Israel”?
It’s gonna be very amusing to see Iceland going from the last place to basically not participating.
Considering how bad they are, I encourage.
I’m the last person who’s a fan of Netanyahu. But those guys seem pretty desperate to show off their protest spirit. You don’t need to sweat so much darlings.
Wow, what an unfair proposition for a competition against the poor Israeli PM!
…It’s quite clear that these boys have a lot of experience “wrestling” with leather harnesses around their thighs and waists 😉
(I’m sorry)
They don’t give a damn about anything and I’m so here for it!
These guys are nuts or just good at self-promotion? hum…
Everybody read this (with Google Translate):
https://stundin.is/grein/8387/
Apparently they don’t really want to compete. They just want to make a statement and are expecting to get disqualified if they go to Tel Aviv. Which would be a really selfish act since Iceland would probably be fined and banned for a while. I think it’s a shame because I thought their song was really good and I imaged them to be more intelligent than this.
They’re not trying to get disqualified, but they are aware of the fact that they might get disqualified with their entry, in the end, they want to make a statement if they go to Israel, and they’re doing it in a clever way
If they get disqualified it’s because they intentionally did something to provoke it. Also what’s clever about making a statement at the expense of others? Are they going to pay for the fines themselves?
best news ive heard all yr
As a Mediterranean person, I DO WANT a BDSM colony in our sea. Just saying.
I don’t know why, but everything they say or do entertains me. I hope they go to eurovision!
I 100% agree with this.
Iceland had its golden age in 2006-2013 but recently something has went wrong. I hope they fix it.
who are they? lol
Previously unsaid sentence in human history
What is the difference between capitalist BDSM and communist BDSM?
Capitalist BDSM has monetary exploitation, while communist BDSM does not.
I get it. I’ve spend my childhood in communism, and my conclusion is : communism is well intended, but among all the political regimes, is the most at risk to go wrong. This is all. Do it, but be extra careful about human rights.
I don’t pretend that I’m a guru about everything, but what I know, I know because I’ve lived. Do communism everybody, just do it, but be careful. In no time you can find out you have no rights anymore, and the borders are closed. Be extra careful. I’ve lived this!!!
I’m pretty sure they’re not actually communist. They’re an art project so you can’t really take anything they say seriously. I still think it’s a good thing to be anti-consumerism though.
You are right, I’m from Romania, I know what communism can do (good and bad) and it’s not worth it. How can people learn to be against consumerism? Just let them look at their own bills and debts, that will teach them a lesson.
Just because they are anti-capitalist doesn’t mean they are communist. Socialists are also anti-capitalists. Also anti-consumerism is interesting with many ecological movements being against consumerism for the sake of our planet.
To be fair socialists are like communists with less power.
To be fair, socialists are capitalists who pretend they are protecting the people giving them crumbs and the right to protest peacefully.
Communism brings up many good ideas, the only problem is that every implementation of it has been corrupted by greedy individuals. If communism was to be implemented by actual communists who truly followed communism it would work, that just has never happened and every implementation has just been lead by autocrats and tyrants.
It’s good as long as it’s voluntary.
Although this is the best song for Iceland, Söngvakeppnin’s viewership is mostly a family audience.
I really have doubts the juries will like this either. Wrong year to bring in the juries with a anthemic song like Hatari’s
Betting odds currently say Hatari has almost a 50% chance of representing Iceland (in the lead) and I’m really praying that comes true
It’s the only one that’s final-material out of the 10 songs
Bring in juries? We’ve had juriea since at least 2012
I really hope they win this national selection! This would be my 1st at the moment.
Sylvia Night 2.0
We need more Sylvia Night at Eurovision tbf
No x)
My thought exactly. Glad someone else also sees it.
Welcome x) I just hope they won’t accuse the future Swedish representative of attempted poisoning 😛
I hope that Hatari will win Söngvakeppnin and win the wrestle match, so they can establish their colony. Hataris song is a protest song and I love it. Solidarity to my comrades at Hatari!
My kind of guys <3
I like their entry but kind of gone off them now…. seems they’re trying too hard. We don’t need these kind of concertedly ‘different’ personalities in the contest.
Going to support Tara Mobee now.
I am all for confrontation with Netanyahu but this is childish.. still hope they win though lol
I just want to see ”Icelandic anti-capitalist BDSM techno performance art group ” at Eurovision, lol 😀
Hatari ils sont vraiment phenomenal
Ok I’m swimming to Tel Aviv from Australia to see this (and hopefully Hatari at Eurovision too).
W… What? What is going with them?
Anyway… I’m not a fan of their entry, seriously don’t get the hype
Not everg different song is neccesarily good
I don’t know what going on with them lol. But you have a good point.
Agreed
Did you listen to it multiple times? Even ignoring everything around it, it just sounds good.
I have and it isn’t that good
These guys are so ironic. I hope they will still take the contest seriously since their song is actually really good.
I just checked the date, to make sure it is not April 1st.