Last week, Palmerston North Boys' High School in New Zealand lost Mr. Dawson Tamatea, a PE and mathematics teacher who died in his sleep at age 55. Tamatea had been teaching at PNBHS for almost 30 years. As a tribute, 1,700 students performed a traditional Maori war dance called a haka as the hearse carrying his body passed through school grounds.

A Haka was traditionally done by warriors before a battle, but the time-honored dance can be performed for various other reasons, including funerals.

“Dawson had a fantastic relationship with the boys and the staff at the school," Headmaster David Bovey told BuzzFeed. "He will leave a huge hole here." You can see and hear the power each and every student put into their tribute.

"It was a very emotional and powerful performance," PNBHS said on their YouTube page. "We are extremely proud of our boys' performance and we know that Mr. Tamatea would be too."

Rest in peace, Mr. Tamatea.