Home » Coalition SOF » New Zealand Troops Honoring the Fallen With A Māori Warrior Haka

New Zealand Troops Honoring the Fallen With A Māori Warrior Haka

by · September 5, 2012 · Posted In: Coalition SOF
Haka-sofrep-new-zealand-troops
The U.S. could use an American Indian version of this for morale. If funerals were like this for guys in the Team I’d have attended.

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Haka (singular is the same as plural: haka) is a traditional ancestral war cry, dance or challenge from theMāori people of New Zealand. It is a posture dance performed by a group, with vigorous movements and stamping of the feet with rhythmically shouted accompaniment.

“Ka Mate”
Leader: Ringa pakia! Slap the hands against the thighs!
Uma tiraha! Puff out the chest.
Turi whatia! Bend the knees!
Hope whai ake! Let the hip follow!
Waewae takahia kia kino! Stomp the feet as hard as you can!
Leader: Ka mate, ka mate I die, I die,
Team: Ka ora’ Ka ora’ I live, I live
Leader: Ka mate, ka mate I die, I die,
Team: Ka ora Ka ora “ I live, I live,
All: Tēnei te tangata pūhuruhuru This is the hairy man
Nāna i tiki mai whakawhiti te rā …Who caused the sun to shine again for me
A Upane! Ka Upane! Up the ladder, Up the ladder
Upane Kaupane” Up to the top
Whiti te rā,! The sun shines!
Hī! Rise!



About The Author

Brandon Webb is a former U.S. Navy SEAL with combat deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan, and elsewhere in the Middle East. His last tour in the SEAL Teams was as the Course Manager for the US Navy SEAL Sniper program, arguably one of the most difficult sniper courses in the world. He was formerly a contributing editor for Military.com, and currently the Editor-in-Chief of SOFREP.com. Brandon is regularly featured in the media as a subject matter expert on military affairs. An avid writer, his last two books (The Red Circle, & Benghazi: The Definitive Report) both hit the New York Times best seller list, and his writing has been featured in print, and digital media worldwide. You can follow him on Twitter @BrandontWebb
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gipbmac
gipbmac

WOW - really cool post!  So incredibly moving - so powerful!!!

RobertBNorCal
RobertBNorCal like.author.displayName 1 Like

I first saw this video a few days ago and was speechless. This is a powerful tribute to send a fallen comrade away. I've unfortunately attended many LE funerals with the bagpipes playing, and this was just as moving.

 

N3V3R_SRRNDR
N3V3R_SRRNDR like.author.displayName like.author.displayName like.author.displayName like.author.displayName 4 Like

I want to first say that I had goosebumps watching this. The camaraderie is amazing as well as the dance. 

 

But as to Brandon's comment:

"The U.S. could use an American Indian version of this for morale. " (I'd change 'could' to 'should' or 'needs to')

 

Sadly I think America is too divided to do something like this, even in the military. The smaller communities, like the SOF, might be able to get away with it. I've heard enough bitching about prayers during military ceremonies. Too much red tape starting to get in the way. If you noticed in the video, everyone (who is able) is doing the Haka. But from my understanding, in NZ/ Pacific, the Haka is a very special part of the culture. I know in Hawai'i a few schools even taught it to their students. We Americans have lost our identity to political correctness.

RVN SF VET
RVN SF VET like.author.displayName like.author.displayName 2 Like

Full video of military aspects of Morrie's funeral can be viewed here - http://www.vimeo.com/15223804 This is the Haka component of the service performed by members of 16 Field Regiment, Royal New Zealand Artillery at the funeral of Long Tan veteran Major Morrie Stanley, MBE in Auckland on Wednesday 22 September 2010. Watch our award winning Battle of Long Tan documentary for free, in full online here - http://www.battleoflongtan.com Morrie was the Forward (Artillery) Observation Officer (FOO) attached to D Company, 6RAR during the Battle of Long Tan. For three and a half hours in the mud and torrential rain of a monsoon storm, 105 Australian and 3 New Zealander's fought and defeated 2,500 Viet Cong and North Vietnamese soldiers in a rubber plantation in South Vietnam called Long Tan. 18 Australian's were killed in the battle and 21 wounded with more than 500 enemy killed and 1,000 enemy wounded. D Company, 6RAR who fought the battle along with the 3 New Zealander's from 161 Battery, 16 Field Regiment, Royal New Zealand Artillery were awarded the US Presidential Unit Citation for Gallantry, the South Vietnamese Unit Citation for Gallantry and in 2009 the Australian Unit Citation for Gallantry.

SniperElite
SniperElite like.author.displayName like.author.displayName 2 Like

Being a Kiwi myself this does pull on the ole heart strings. The attached Haka isn't the one that these boys are performing, it's been a long time since I have lived in NZ so I couldn't say for sure which one this is, there are that many of them. The All Blacks (NZ rugby team) perform a Haka before every game. For those that are interested the All Blacks V Argentina on Saturday and then Sth Africa on the 15th www.allblacks.com 

Camaraderie is very strong in the NZ Army!

blkreggren
blkreggren

 @SniperElite Hey SE, I've only just discovered Rugby, and the All Blacks are awesome!!! Pumped about Rugby being in the 2016 Olympics. More to the point, I mourn your fallen Kiwi brother, and as a native American, I have heaps of respect for your people and their native roots.

 

SniperElite
SniperElite

 @blkreggren

 Thanks mate, but as servicemen we have a job to to and unfortunately many pay the unltimate price........respect!!

RVN SF VET
RVN SF VET like.author.displayName 1 Like

The warrior being honored in this funeral is a female soldier.

StormR
StormR like.author.displayName 1 Like

 @RVN SF VET

 I posted a comment and removed it because I was in the wrong place.  I am glad to know that in New Zealand, a warrior is a warrior regardless of gender.

RVN SF VET
RVN SF VET like.author.displayName 1 Like

 @StormR I  wondered what you were talking about. Here is the YouTube reference:

< http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xI6TRTBZUMM >

Some of the story appears below the video. I got there via a newspaper article about their first woman killed in combat. There are other military Hakas on YouTube.  I was impressed that some of the most forceful military participants are not just Maoris. Their Anglo brothers are fully into it..

StormR
StormR

 @RVN SF VET I often wonder what I'm talking about..sighhhhh   One of the things I've learned from my time on SOFREP is that the brotherhood/sisterhood of the military transcends race/age/economic status/etc.   It's inspiring and so makes me long for it to be society's way rather than the military way.  Even with the opposition to woman and gays in the military from military folk, ultimately you all stand together and measure worth on the individual.  And yes, I know that is probably an over-generalization, but .... (don't have an end to that sentence lol).

ColonelProp
ColonelProp like.author.displayName 1 Like

Of course the most vicious Haka I ever saw (not in person mind you) was that performed by the Cavaliers in 1986 on the infamous RSA tour that ended very poorly and out of control...

ufridman
ufridman

@BrandonTWebb Goose bumps. A fit tribute to a warrior… We should use the same here.

ColonelProp
ColonelProp like.author.displayName 1 Like

Awesome tribute - true warrior spirit there. If you ever want to see the Haka with venom just catch an All Blacks v. Springboks rugby match...the Boks used to walk at the AB's during the Haka, but that has been toned down as of late due to the impending brawl that would cause, too bad

Erek
Erek like.author.displayName like.author.displayName 2 Like

The Haka is what turned me onto rugby.

MrE
MrE like.author.displayName 1 Like

I've seen a haka done many times watching rugby (the All Blacks, New Zealand's national team performs one at the start of every game), but never seen one done in this context.  Fearsome stuff, modern day warriors embracing their warrior culture.

StormR
StormR like.author.displayName 1 Like

Most US tribes hold 4-day ceremonies when warrior is lost.  It's a gathering of community. 

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZBapfmfrVH0

 

Old PH2
Old PH2 moderator like.author.displayName 1 Like

 @StormR My wife's people preform a dance called Shaykhanee it is martial dance with moves that approximate swordplay in variations.  It's preformed at weddings and most family gatherings, a touchstone to the past.  Funerals are full on wailing, clad in black.  Unfortunately my Celtic ancestors lost a great deal of their culture since our arrival in the mid 18th century.  Exiled from Scotland and indentured for 7 years to pay for their transport.  They escaped to the Appalachians and never looked back. 

ColonelProp
ColonelProp

@BrandonTWebb Gotta Love the Haka, there are no substitutes for that one...

Old PH2
Old PH2 moderator like.author.displayName like.author.displayName 2 Like

Although we have traditions, they  pale in the martial beauty of these fine warriors.  Indeed, this man made the sun shine.  We are all better for his existence. 

HugeFan
HugeFan moderator

 @Old PH2 That was a tearjerker and motivational at the same time. I think that that is by far the coolest video that I have seen this year yet.

Old PH2
Old PH2 moderator like.author.displayName like.author.displayName 2 Like

 @HugeFan  @Old PH2 I always had a tough time during burials at sea.  A number of vets make requests through the VA for such treatment and we would often provide photo's and or video.  It's really fucking hard to take a pic when you balling like a girl.