Honor, Again

I've long respected and admired the haka as performed by New Zealand's athletic teams, mostly the rugby All-Blacks. It's among the most uniquely impressive displays in sports.

I had no idea.


The haka performed in the clip above honors the life of one of three New Zealand soldiers recently killed in action in Afghanistan. The feral, anguished quality of this haka marks it as entirely different than the almost joyous celebration that sporting hakas represent. It's spellbinding, and it's chilling, and it's amazing in its emotion, anger, and honor.

Godspeed, brave warriors.

 (h/t to Teejay's boy Andrew Sullivan)