Friday, August 19, 2011

Nation farewells man of two cultures


From New Zealand-

The variety of Sir Paul Reeves' character - his rascally humour, deep sense of what was right and wrong and strong faith - was celebrated yesterday as the nation farewelled him.

It was a state funeral which melded military, Anglican and Maori tikanga and was lifted to an occasion of joy by little moments of love.

Sir Paul's cortege travelled from the Church of the Holy Sepulchre through the Auckland Domain to be joined by navy, army and air force personnel.

The jaunty Maori Battalion March to Victory and Chopin's Slow March, both personal requests from the former Governor-General, were played by a military band which led him towards the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity.

For a man who by his own admission had a "leg each" in the Maori and Pakeha worlds, the blending of both as he was carried on to the cathedral's forecourt was electrifying.

More here-

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10745993

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