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| Wedding haka moves New Zealand Maori bride to tears | Wedding haka moves New Zealand Maori bride to tears |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| A passionate wedding haka that moved a New Zealand bride to tears is making everyone else cry too after being watched more than 19m times. | |
| Video of the Maori dance at the wedding of Aaliyah and Benjamin Armstrong is being widely shared on social media. | Video of the Maori dance at the wedding of Aaliyah and Benjamin Armstrong is being widely shared on social media. |
| Ms Armstrong, 21, told the BBC she was "blown away" by the performance. | Ms Armstrong, 21, told the BBC she was "blown away" by the performance. |
| She said the haka was a sign of respect from her husband's best man and family not, as some have commented online, an attempt to intimidate him. | She said the haka was a sign of respect from her husband's best man and family not, as some have commented online, an attempt to intimidate him. |
| "They are quite strong, the men in their family," she said. | "They are quite strong, the men in their family," she said. |
| A haka - with its shouting, body-slapping and exaggerated facial expressions - is used in traditional Maori culture as a war cry to intimidate the enemy, but also to welcome special guests and at celebrations. | A haka - with its shouting, body-slapping and exaggerated facial expressions - is used in traditional Maori culture as a war cry to intimidate the enemy, but also to welcome special guests and at celebrations. |
| The video was filmed at the couple's wedding reception in Auckland last week. | The video was filmed at the couple's wedding reception in Auckland last week. |
| In it, they watch with emotion as the groomsmen and guests surprise them with a heartfelt performance of the traditional dance, before joining in themselves. | In it, they watch with emotion as the groomsmen and guests surprise them with a heartfelt performance of the traditional dance, before joining in themselves. |
| "I wasn't planning on jumping in until one bridesmaid did," said Ms Armstrong. "I felt the need to show love and respect back. I was really blown away." | |
| Women do not normally perform the haka in Maori culture but she said they can do at weddings. | |
| The nearly three-minute video ends with the couple emotionally embracing the performers. | |
| 'Moved me to tears' | 'Moved me to tears' |
| The haka was organised by the 23-year-old groom's best man and was led by his older brother. It was filmed by her cousin's production company. | The haka was organised by the 23-year-old groom's best man and was led by his older brother. It was filmed by her cousin's production company. |
| "Ben is a Maori, he is probably more Maori than I am," Ms Armstrong said. | "Ben is a Maori, he is probably more Maori than I am," Ms Armstrong said. |
| "Because he has fair skin, some people have been saying on social media that 'he'd better not hurt the bride', but they're actually his family." | "Because he has fair skin, some people have been saying on social media that 'he'd better not hurt the bride', but they're actually his family." |
| The couple, who live in Auckland, posted the video for friends and its popularity has taken them by surprise. | The couple, who live in Auckland, posted the video for friends and its popularity has taken them by surprise. |
| "We didn't think it would shoot off, but yesterday afternoon I left my phone alone for about five minutes and I had so many notifications," Ms Armstrong said. | "We didn't think it would shoot off, but yesterday afternoon I left my phone alone for about five minutes and I had so many notifications," Ms Armstrong said. |
| Comments on social media have focused on the strong emotions that the video arouses. | Comments on social media have focused on the strong emotions that the video arouses. |
| "Yes, this moved me to tears," said user Hind Makki in a typical Twitter post. | "Yes, this moved me to tears," said user Hind Makki in a typical Twitter post. |