Haka at the Arc de Triomphe: Marine infantry units make their presence felt ahead of Bastille Day

Paris – July 14, 2026: On Monday, a haka rang out in front of the Arc de Triomphe. Soldiers from France’s overseas territories serving in the 9th Marine Infantry Brigade performed the Māori ceremonial song and dance at Place Charles de Gaulle. Hours before the military parade held on France’s national holiday, the site—usually defined by traffic and monumental scenery—became an unexpectedly concentrated space of physical expression.

In New Zealand’s Māori culture, the haka carries a meaning far beyond the provocation of sporting battle through which it became known in Europe, mainly via rugby matches. Its forms can express welcome, respect, and unity, or convey challenge and determination. Voice, rhythm, stamping, gestures, and gaze come together as one. This concentrated expression is what made the performance in the shadow of the Arc de Triomphe so striking.

The 9th Marine Infantry Brigade, abbreviated 9th BIMa, is stationed in Poitiers and is regarded within the Army as a specialist unit for amphibious operations. The designation marine infantry reflects a long French tradition, but the brigade is an Army unit, not a naval one. At the July 14 parade, the brigade was expected to take part with personnel and vehicles as part of the parade’s motorized units.

The performance of the haka by personnel from overseas territories also highlighted an aspect often overlooked in the French armed forces: the connection between the republic on the European continent and its territories in the Caribbean, Indian Ocean, Pacific, and South America. The scene did not foreground folkloric lightness. It demonstrated discipline and a sense of belonging without completely flattening the distinctiveness of cultural expression.

According to the Ministry of Defense, July 14, 2026 was dedicated to the theme of Europe’s strategic awakening. More than 6,000 soldiers and delegations from 36 foreign countries were expected to take part on the Champs-Élysées. The parade aimed to make visible the coordination of ground forces, air support, reconnaissance, and logistics. It was a military demonstration accompanied by grand staging.

Within this strictly choreographed framework, the haka appeared to briefly interrupt the geometric order characteristic of the parade. The Arc de Triomphe, itself a monument inscribed with national memory, became the stage for a tradition that draws its power from collective voice and movement. It was a moment showing that what represents a nation is not made up solely of uniforms, flags, and marching steps, but also of the multilayered histories of the people who bear them.