The New Zealand Defence Force posted the spine-tingling clip of hundreds of soldiers from the 2/1st Battalion, Royal New Zealand Infantry, performing a haka at the funeral service for their three fallen comrades.

Defence said the haka powerfully acknowledged the lives and feats of Corporal Luke Tamatea, Lance Corporal Jacinda Baker and Private Richard Harris as they were brought on to the unit's parade ground at Burnham Military Camp in Christchurch on Saturday.

"It is also an emotive farewell for they will leave via the waharoa (the carved entrance way) for the very last time," Defence said.

[video:youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?list=UUXo4WugjobSnTIs9WnDE3qA&v=xI6TRTBZUMM&feature=player_embedded#![/video]

Make sure your volume is turned up.

These three are our most recent losses in Afghanistan, their lives taken by an IED. The teleban has announced that they will target more NZ soldiers unless we withdraw, officially there has been no announcement made by the NZ defense forces in response. Unofficially our SAS have moved into the area where the deaths occurred, you can be sure they aren't there for the scenery or a quiet picnic.

OUTSTANDING tribute and final farewell for warriors.


May their souls rest in everlasting PEACE AND HONOR.


May the SAS administer a swift and violent justice to the vermin who killed these fine young men.

Rest in peace soldiers. kwg

Never heard of this before or its history but what an honor and send off for their departed comrades..RIP troops..Salute

Having stood shoulder to shoulder with the Kiwi's and knowing the history of the Haka, this gave me chills and with no shame, tears.

Powerful, beautiful, and righteous.

Thank you for sharing this...


WOW!




..... just...... WOW!

Rest in peace, warriors.

A fitting response, I'd say.

I've had the pleasure of knowing and serving with a few kiwis. Fine group of soldiers.

My thoughts are with these three.

Extremely emotionally powerful.

Those men are very much a Warrior Class that I would be honored to know.

May there deaths be remembered and if possible, avenged.

God Bless.
MS.

Maarty,

Being unfamiliar with the Haka, I don't know the words, but I recognize the meaning.

As with HAJ, I sit here with chills and tears. That is a remarkable tribute by Warriors for their fallen.

May they rest in peace and their lives remembered for their sacrifice.

Prayers lifted up for them and their families, blood and uniform.

Thank you.

Ed

WELL SAID AND I AMEN that.

Exactly how I feel. Rest in peace honorable warriors.

R.I.P.

Very moving.

There is no fitting farewell for our service men and women killed in Afganistan and Iraq. We cannot do enough to make any ceremony "fitting". We shouldn't have been there in the first place.

Maarty, the Highest recognition for fallen Warriors is the respect of their fellow Warriors. The Haka is exactly that. Perfect.

Rest in Eternal Peace, Kiwis.

......and death to the taliban.

GTC

Ed and HAJ, the Haka when performed with real feeling behind it always moves me. This particular one had tears in my eyes as well, particularly since there has been such an out pouring of support for our troops since these three died.
An idiotic woman, a govt sponsored film maker and journalist, posted some nasty abusive comments about lc Jacinda Baker who was a medic. That has resulted in huge amounts of public support for our troops and the idiot has now "fled the country in fear". It's been an emotional week over here with a lot of people finally coming out and admitting that our troops do a good job and need our support, I'm hoping it continues.

The Maori left a wonderful heritage for you New Zealander's. The haka reaches way back into the heart of that heritage.

The battles fought in Afghanistan and Iraq where your boys stood shoulder to shoulder with ours, was not because New Zealand was attacked by terrorist, but because of that precious heritage passed down.

The haka reminds me of our "Taps", "Star Spangled Banner", and "Proud To be an American", all wrapped up with our "21 Gun Salute".

The emotions are raw, pure, and justified. I lack the words to express how grateful I am to the men and women of New Zealand who stood with us against the evils in this world, especially when it was globally unpopular to do so, and New Zealand had zero obligation to do so.

I wish I could hug the necks of the families of these three warriors, and thank them personally for their sacrifice. May they always be remembered with great honor, and may their families hold their heads high with pride. They raised warriors. They raised heroes!

"And Crispin Crispian shall ne'er go by,
From this day to the ending of the world,
But we in it shall be remembered-
We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;
For he today that sheds his blood with me
Shall be my brother; be he ne'er so vile,
This day shall gentle his condition;
And gentlemen in England now-a-bed
Shall think themselves accurs'd they were not here,
And hold their manhoods cheap while any speaks
That fought with us upon Saint Crispin's day."

Riiiiiiiiiiiiight. Threaten the Kiwis. Based on NZ's proud history in WWI and WWII, that should work out real well for the Taliban.

I hope the the boys there exact a fitting revenge.

John

Watching that video again is even more moving than the first viewing.

It should also serve as a warning to those responsible, I just hope they've got their lap tops turned on in their caves so they know what's coming.

I remember reading an account by a German soldier saying how him and his unit broke and ran when they saw the Maori Battalion performing a haka behind the lines before a battle. They were routed without a shot being fired.

maarty,

You guys know how to pay tribute to and honor your fallen!!!

Simply outstanding!!!

Great tribute to your fallen. God bless your soldiers and their families.

Thanks but I had to fix it a bit.
I support soldiers from any country that stands up for what's right.

RIP soldiers. I pray the SAS boys rain hell upon those bastids.