HAKA FOR NAIN
Welsh-Maori siblings in funeral tribute to their grandmother
ANORTH Wales family have captured spine-tingling footage of a Welsh-Maori brother and sister overcome with emotion while performing a traditional Haka at their nain’s funeral.
Aled and Angharad Williams, 23 and 24, were raised in Garndolbenmaen, Gwynedd, to a Welsh father and Maori mother, until they were nine and 10 years old respectively.
They then moved to New Zealand, where they learned the Haka, perhaps best known in popular culture because the All Blacks rugby union team perform it before international matches.
But they never lost touch with their roots, with both siblings fluent in Welsh and Angharad also fluent in Maori.
The pair were very close to their nain and taid Robin and Nerys Williams, also from Garndolbenmaen, and both were left devastated when Nerys died suddenly last month at the age of 71.
Aled flew over from his home near Hamilton in New Zealand for the funeral, while Angharad has been living back in Wales since December.
As their nain was brought back to the family farm they spontaneously decided to perform the Haka – and it was the first time they had performed it together.
Angharad said: “Me and my brother were head students of our local secondary school in New Zealand.
“In your first year you get taught a certain Haka to acknowledge people and let them know you’re from that certain area.
She added: “The one the All Blacks use is to intimidate people but we changed it to welcome our grandmother home and send her off at the same time.”
The Haka is traditionally performed at Maori funerals.
“I’ve done it about 16 times at different funerals but it’s only the second time my brother’s done it for a funeral.
“It was a very special experience. To do it with my brother was a privilege because he doesn’t usually do it. But it came natural to us, I’ve watched the haka back quite a lot and we’re so in sync, we didn’t practise it or anything. It was just something we wanted to do for our grandmother and it worked out perfectly.
“That’s also the first time I’ve ever been so emotional doing it. I think it had more meaning to it because we were in a different country and I was just doing it with my brother.
“My brother was in the first XV rugby team for our school and they get taught it again there; that’s why he led it off because women aren’t supposed to lead it, although they can join in.”
Angharad said her nain was very proud of her grandchildren’s Maori heritage and she believes it would have “made her life” if she’d seen them perform it together.
She said: “My nain was always quite intrigued. She was so proud that we were from New Zealand that she used to go to pound shops and buy ‘I love New Zealand’ fridge magnets.
“I think it would have made her life, let alone her day. She was so proud that we were different and she used to call us ‘her Maoris’ to everyone. She said we were one of a kind. She was probably the most humble and caring lady I’ve ever had the pleasure to be loved and adored by.
“She was a fighter, her life was all about her children and grandchildren.
“She was everything a nain should be and more.”
Aled is flying back to New Zealand this week but Angharad is planning to stick around for a little longer.
As a parting gift, her nain actually set her up with an interview at Bangor University, to carry on with a Psychology degree that she started in New Zealand.
She added: “I came for a holiday on my birthday in April last year and I didn’t have the heart to leave my grandparents, so I moved back permanently in December.
“My nain was quite old fashioned, she wanted you to go to university, get married and have kids. She actually went behind my back and booked me an appointment at Bangor University so I’m going to follow through with that. I did a year in New Zealand so I’m hoping I can just transition into second year.”