“We Are the Affies”: Pretoria-Based High School Shows Their Bella Ciao War Cry

• Students from the all-girls school Afrikaanse Hoër Meisieskool Pretoria showed off their war cry in a TikTok video shared by the rugby team Blue Bulls
• The Pretoria-based high school is the sister school of Afrikaanse Hoër Seunskool for boys and educates roughly 1,200 students
• A few members of the online community rushed to the comment section to share how they enjoyed the chant, which was a twist on the song Bella Ciao

Many high schools around South Africa have gained internet fame after sharing videos of their war cries and inter-school flashes, even making international news or reaching the cell phone screens of celebrities.

An all-girls high school garnered hundreds of thousands of views when they shared their attempt to make a successful war cry.

Girls showing their team spirit

The Blue Bulls' TikTok account uploaded a video on the social media platform on 27 February. It shows students from Afrikaanse Hoër Meisieskool Pretoria putting a spin on the song Bella Ciao.

Known as Affies, the high school learners sang:

"We are the Affies. We bring the fire. Oh bella ciao, bella ciao, bella ciao ciao ciao."

Take a look at their performance in the TikTok video below:

More about Afrikaanse Hoër Meisieskool Pretoria

According to its website, Afrikaanse Hoër Meisieskool Pretoria is the sister school of Afrikaanse Hoër Seunskool, which is a learning institution for boys.

The all-girls high school, based in the heart of the Jacaranda City, educates roughly 1,200 students and offers hostel accommodation for 270 girls from all over the country and as far as Namibia.

The school states that it is firmly anchored in history and traditions that are over 100 years old.

"On this foundation, we are building a generation of women who can step into the future with self-confidence and humility."

SA shares thoughts about the war cry

A few local members of the online community made their way to the post's comment section to express their thoughts about the girls' chant. Some also showed their allegiance to other schools that have posted their war cries before.

@leebautlwanye, who adored the attire, wrote in the comment section:

"The dresses are so cute."

@vern108naidoo told the online community:

"I love these schools and how they can keep a sing-along going."

@user1956811687136 adored the video and shared with the public:

"The most beautiful sight on TikTok! Absolutely amazing."

@sjferreira14 added in the comments:

"It's still not as hype as Grey College."

@d_j_1231 also showed app users their allegiance, writing:

"Kempton's spirit was better."

New Zealand hosts hype SA school war cry

New Zealand radio hosts Jordan Vahaakolo and Brook Ruscoe, from The Morning  Shift, just put South African school war cries on their TikTok radar. They found a clip of Wynberg Boys’ High in Cape Town belting out a tight, stomp‑and‑clap chant that’s been trending all year.

The hosts called it “pure vibes” and joked that South Africa now beats New Zealand not only in rugby but in school spirit too. They even challenged Kiwi schools to cook up their own chants. The video shows rows of learners moving in sync, shouting back and forth, and drumming energy into the stands.

Wynberg’s viral cry is no one‑off. Earlier in the season, it drew Springbok captain Siya Kolisi to the school for a visit. Other South African schools have posted their versions, proving the tradition is everywhere. What used to be a sideline ritual is turning into a cultural export that mixes rhythm, unity, and friendly rivalry.

3 Other articles about war cries

• In another article, Briefly News reported about a school that kicked off the year with its traditional war cry practice. The chants received emotional responses online.
• South Africans were impressed with talented students from an all-boys whose school's war cry made it to award-winning rapper Drake's Instagram account.
• In 2023, a video showed how a local boys' high school's war cries had paramedics dancing at a rugby match. People commended the boys for their inspiring cheers.

Hilary Sekgota, human interest head of desk at Briefly News, contributed to this article.

Source: Briefly News