Video: New Zealand Soldiers Send Off Fallen Comrade

[Teufelhund]

New Zealand has a military??


In all seriousness, I don't have the words for how badass that was.

[Fentonite]

In all seriousness, I don't have the words for how badass that was.

Is it really just me and another Marine that dig this?

[swat64]

It is a Maori Haka.
The Haka is the Maori "war dance". A very proud people and a awesome place to visit. Here is the story that goes with the video

[Mick-Boy]

I think it's awesome. The Haka is a great way to give a fellow warrior a send off. A whole unit doing one together captures the aggression, camaraderie, sadness and rage that is felt when one of your brothers falls.

For those not familiar, here's an explanation from a Kiwi I know.

Yeah, the Haka is a traditional war dance normally performed by both sides in advance of a battle. Used to challenge and intimidate the enemy and fire up your side.

You guys would be most familiar with the most well known haka 'Ka Mate' which is performed by the All Blacks before all major international rugby games.

This was the parade ground at Burnham Military Camp, just south of Christchurch and home of 2nd/1st Battalion, RNZIR. This was my and XXXXXXXX's old unit.

A good portion of soldiers are of Maori descent so NZDF embraces the culture in all aspects. Some units, like 2nd/1st here, have their own Hakas. Even as the honkiest of the honkeys, I've done my fair share and the thing gets right into your blood and fires you up like nothing else. You cant help it.

We did one at the Palace in Baghdad, then serving as the US Embassy, in 2004 at a memorial service for Mark Carmen, one of our guys who was killed with CRG. Felt like we lifted the roof off, and I still to this day remember seeing all the Ghurkas come running to watch once they heard us. Not because they were alarmed, but because they recognised it.

Hakas are performed at funerals mainly to challenge the deceased to come to the underworld, and to herald their coming to the gods, in this case Tumatauenga, the God of War.

[blackford76]

Very impressive.