A video showing the moment a bride in New Zealand was brought to tears by an emotional haka performed at her wedding has gone viral online.
The three-minute clip, produced by Auckland and Melbourne-based company Westone Productions, was for the wedding of Ben and Aaliyah Armstrong on 15 January. In the footage, friends and family come together, led by the grooms best man, to perform the Maori dance in front of the newly married couple.
Aaliyah begins to cry upon witnessing the emotional scene. Her husband then takes off his jacket and joins in, before she too participates in the traditional war cry. The video ends with the couple lovingly embracing the performers.
Since being published online the video has ratcheted up nearly 13 million views, being widely shared over social media.
The haka, a traditional Maori dance involving vigorous movements, stamping of the feet and loud chanting, is usually performed at sporting fixtures by New Zealand national teams, such as the All Blacks side in rugby matches. While it is used to intimidate the opposition in sport, it can also be used to pay respect, such as at weddings and funerals.
