The 200+ members of the 2nd 1st RNZIR Battalion send off their fallen comrades with their own unit’s haka.
Corporal Luke Tamata, 31, Lance Corporal Jacinda Baker, 26, and Private Richard Harris, 21 were killed in action in Afghanistan by an IED roadside bomb. While on their way to their final resting place, the members of their unit put on an amazingly respectful display of loyalty, honor and grief any and all fellow warriors share.
The haka has been largely popularized by the New Zealand Rugby team, The All Blacks. However not solely cast to the rugby team, the haka is a traditional dance that has been performed for centuries by the New Zealand natives, the Maori.
The Haka is a ceremonial dance, or also known as a chant with actions, and has many different forms. Although mostly associated with war and courage, it can also be used to challenge or express defiance or contempt, to demonstrate approval or appreciation, to encourage or to discourage, to acknowledge feats and achievements, to welcome, to farewell, as an expression of pride, happiness or sorrow. However, it is plainly clear how the brothers of the 2/1 Battalion are using it.
Pingback: A Warrior’s Send Off « threedonia.com