Staff and Students of PNBHS Performs Emotional Haka

With a powerful and emotional Haka, the staff and students of PNBHS honoured the passing of Dawson Tamatea who taught at the school for 30 years.

The video has acquired quite an attention online, with its more than 1 million views.

Teacher Dawson Tamatea, who died in his sleep last Monday, taught at Palmerston North Boys’ High School in New Zealand for almost 30 years since 1986.

He was widely admired among the school’s more than 1,500 pupils and in a powerful mark of respect, the entire roll performed a rousing haka as Mr Tamatea’s body pulled into the school’s front gates in a hearse.

They performed the dance as the hearse carrying Mr Tamatea arrived at the school hall for the funeral service.

The meaning of the Haka translated in English:

Be prepared, take hold,
Reach out,
We at Palmerston North Boys’ High School stand steadfast,
Within our Domain,
Standing firm,
Standing proud,
Standing with respect.

To uphold,
To uplift,
To uplift,
To uphold,
The prestige of our school.

Our aims are to seek knowledge,
And reach our goals and aspirations,
Seek the horizon of aspirations ,
And draw near to it.

Those aspirations that are near, take them,
And it be known, yes, let it be known,
Let your adrenalin abound high above,
It is done!

A Haka is a traditional ancestral war cry, dance or challenge from the MÄori people of New Zealand. It is a kind of a posture dance performed by groups of people consisting of vigorous movements and stamping of the feet with accompanied shouting of chants.