A beloved teacher was honored by all his students in a way that will touch your the heart. Dawson Tamatea was a legendary teacher at Palmerston North Boy’s High School in New Zealand. He joined the all-boys school where he taught Physical Education and Math for nearly 30 years.
When he recently passed away, the school closed for a half day so that the entire school and staff could attend his funeral. Hundreds were on hand as the entire school performed the Haka during the arrival of Mr. Tamatea in the hearse.
A haka is a traditional ancestral war cry of the Maori people. Traditionally, haka were performed by warriors to proclaim their strength and intimidate the enemy. However, haka were also performed for various reasons and still are today: for welcoming distinguished guests, to acknowledge great achievements, or, on occasions such as funerals, as a way to pay their respects.
The school wrote, “This was a very emotional and powerful performance. We are extremely proud of our boys’ performance and we know that Mr Tamatea would be too.”
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Note: this video was filmed prior to the coronovirus pandemic.
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