garp

Very peculiar to see red haired, pale skinned soldiers perform a Haka. Superb display.
Best viewed on large screen via YT -site.

500N

Very impressive send off but sad at the same time.

G&T ice n slice

generally confirms what I was told at school by our permanent CCF chappie
"whatever happens make sure you're on the same side as the Gurkhas, the Poles & the New Zealanders"

Cacophonix

Must admit I am bored by the Haka. Look forward to eating those people for breakfast.


SA for the next Rugby World Cup.


Caco

Edited to say - Said with my tongue in my cheek and with utter respect for NZ.

garp

Not many seem to be impressed by this ritual. I for one never saw anything similar and I must admit that it, for some reason, touched me quite a bit.

Mr Chips

I watched that video and at the end sat in silence. An amazing and touching display

parabellum

The deliberate(?) silence at the end was unbelievable. Not sure of this but I think there are various version of the haka, welcome, war, and the one in the funeral, presumably welcoming home fallen warriors? Any Kiwis reading this thread?

SASless

That is a fitting Farewell to a Fallen Warrior.

We all have our private rituals but that is the most moving I have ever seen.

Old 'Un

Parabellum, you're half right. There are a number of haka, but they are usually tribe-specific rather than occasion-specific. Old protocols dictate (in many cases) only certain members of a tribe can be "called" to perform a haka. The most commonly heard haka, "Kamate, Kamate", actually belongs to one tribe. They have given permission to certain teams, All Blacks to name one, to use it as a challenge. Not being of that particular tribe, I observe the protocol and don't/won't perform it if asked to do so. Essentially, if I did perform it, I would be seen as a traitor to my tribe.

There's a lot more to the haka than meets the eye/ear.

Le Vieux

parabellum

Thanks Old 'Un - I learn something new everyday! Presumably the Haka in the video clip would belong to a specific tribe then? Was it a challenge or reserved for such occasions as funerals of fallen warriors etc?

yotty

Kamate Kamate ’Tis death! ‘tis death! (or: I may die) ’Tis life! ‘tis life! (or: I may live)

’Tis death! ‘tis death! ’Tis life! ‘tis life!

This is the hairy man

Who brought the sun and caused it to shine

A step upward, another step upward!

A step upward, another... the Sun shines! And a good video including some Islanders Fliegs!