Not just on the occasion of today’s Volkstrauertag (people’s mourning day in Germany, introduced after the First World War) it is fascinating to look beyond one’s own nose: how are the dead remembered elsewhere? An impressive example is shown in the following film from New Zealand, where soldiers perform a traditional haka.
Soldiers of the 2/1 RNZIR Battalion1 performing their unit haka for their fallen comrades, whose mortal remains pass the barracks through the gate for the very last time. Quite often, the haka is perceived only as Māori war dance, but this ceremonial dance has many faces; e.g., the “Manawa Wera” haka is usually performed without weapons during funerals and similar events. It is noticable that a traditional way of farewell and remembrance of the native people is being adopted by the entire society. The dance is highly impressive, not the least, when the soldiers silently turn away at the end – one can only hope that the hearse’s drivers have been told in advance what they had to expect.
- Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment ↩
Ein sehr beeindruckender und würdiger Abschied von den gefallenen Kameraden in Neuseeland! Herzlichen Dank für dieses interessante Video.
Danke für Ihren freundlichen Kommentar – ich fand einen Hinweis auf das Video auf Sascha Stoltenows Bendler-Blog.