'Felt that soul deep': Fierce whānau haka at Auckland Airport goes viral

A haka send-off at Auckland International Airport has gone viral for being intensely emotional.

As four children headed through security for a flight to Australia, their whānau stopped them in their tracks, breaking into a powerful haka farewell.

Their voices echoed through the terminal as travellers and onlookers paused to watch the powerful goodbye.

Two tama standing at the front poured everything into the performance full of aroha for their loved ones.

The four girls heading overseas responded with just as much mana.

The moment was even more emotional after it was revealed they’re moving to live over in Melbourne.

And people in the comments were feeling every bit of it too.

“It doesn’t matter what the occasion. I hear a haka, I’m staying for the whole thing. The energy shift you literally feel is amazing,” one person wrote.

“The haka always makes me tear up. It’s an expression of love so loud, without care for what others think about it,” another said.

You can feel it hit you like a train, and it’s overwhelming and comforting all at once.

“Tears! The ancestors felt that soul deep! So beautiful,” a third added.

Airports have become pretty special places for cultural welcomes and farewells.

Just last month, our very own Black Ferns sevens team received a heartfelt welcome after landing in Vancouver.

As the wāhine arrived in Canada, they were welcomed by First Nations people before honouring the Musqueam people with a beautiful rendition of the waiata ‘E Te Iwi E’.

It was a pretty special cultural exchange on the other side of the world.

It just goes to show that no matter where you are in the world, or where you’re heading off to, these are the moments you take with you. Ataahua!