Remarkable moments occurred during the military ceremonies held in Paris as part of France's national holiday, July 14, Bastille Day.
At the ceremony held in front of the Arc de Triomphe, members of the 11th Marine Infantry Regiment, in which soldiers from France's overseas territories also served, performed a traditional haka show before the ceremony.
In the images captured on mobile phone cameras, soldiers were seen hitting their chests, shouting loudly and performing haka with synchronized movements. While those watching the show applauded the soldiers, the images quickly gained wide coverage on social media.
According to the French press, the demonstration was organized to reflect the cultural heritage of soldiers from France's overseas territories. The Haka performance took place in front of the Arc de Triomphe shortly before the Bastille Day parade.
Haka is known as a traditional war dance originating from the Maori people of New Zealand. Some overseas units serving in the French army also exhibit this show from time to time at official events in order to keep the cultural heritage of soldiers of Polynesian and Pacific origin alive.
The show, held within the scope of France's national holiday celebrations, attracted the attention of social media users as well as those who followed the ceremony. Many users shared posts about the disciplined performance and synchronized movements of the soldiers.