MAORI BATTALION

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 4, Issue 132, 21 July 1941, Page 2

MAORI BATTALION

ROYALTY ENTERTAINED SONGS AND HAKAS The of tradi I ional Maori hakas and the singing of melodious Maori x.ongs by members of the Maori. Battalion before an audirrce mainly comprising members of the, Greek Royal family constituted one of the mosit unusual spectacles yet soen in a New Zealand camp in Egypt. The occasion was a visit to the Maori camp by King George bi Greece, and other members of the Greek Royal family, on the day His Majesty decorated members of an Auckland Battalion who had acted om his bodyguard during the evacuation of Crete. With the striking snap and precision which characterises the drill of the Maoris, the battalion accorded King George a Royal salute. After the inspection the members of the battalion removed hats and grounded arms preparatory to entertaining the visitors in true Maori fashion. Lc'd by an Officer, one party performed an unusual haka which is based on the physical training so familiar to every soldier. An English army officer among the spectators remarked that the haka was excellent "P.T." He had interpreted "the performance correct 1.5'. It was enjoyed by the Maoris themselves as much as it was by the distinguished spectators. Other hakas were given by two different parties, one being led by the writer of the popular Maori Battalion song. Particularly effective was the l singing of Hacre Ra in this desert camp as the noise of the dlny was yielding place to the quiet of a beautiful Egyptian summer evening. King George and the members of his family were deeply moved. Later, as the whole battalion sang their battalion song under the leadership of the composer, the singers were greatly amused as a Greek Princess, an enthusiastic cinephotographer, advanced close up to the JcaJer and "shot" several feet of film as lie led the singing. The camp resounded with the cheersi of the Maoris as the Royal visitors left the camp.