A celebration of life for fallen soldier Kane Te Tai is taking place today.
Te Tai was killed in action while clearing a trench in the Vuhledar region of Ukraine on March 20.
He trained in New Zealand and went to Ukraine voluntarily.
The celebration of life began at 10am with a tangihanga at Te Taua Moana o Aotearoa Marae in Auckland's Devonport.
Te Tai was killed in action while clearing a trench in Ukraine on March 20. (Source: 1News)
A convoy was then set to go through the city, a funeral service at Waikumete Cemetery, and a public memorial service at The Trusts Arena this afternoon.
The convoy was going via Beach Haven in the neighbourhood where Te Tai grew up, and he will be transported by whānau and military veterans.
Te Tai's mother has described him as "an awesome son and father".
She also said she never fully came to terms with his motivation for going.
"I tried to understand why he left the country and went to Ukraine. I still don't understand. But I kind of do too, if you know what I mean."
In his closing words, Te Tai wrote of his time in Ukraine, "I've enjoyed myself here. I've learnt to live and to love here".
"I have fallen in love with the people, the country. I came out here not fully knowing what I was getting myself into, but now I am here and five months on, my resolve has only grown stronger."
He continued: "This place has a strength that appears from the outside as a picture of propaganda, or something that is manufactured. It isn't.
"The inner strength born from a people invaded is so strong that I, and people like me (including my brother and now deceased team mate Dominic Abelen) are compelled to join this fight."
Te Tai also reflected on his sense of "responsibility" to join the fight.
"We can choose to help or not, neither is wrong ... Life makes you choose . And sometimes you've got to expose yourself to help others. Sometimes you have to put some skin in the game, sometimes all of it.
"But don't let excuses stop you from helping others ... Help one another. If you go out like that then it isn't a waste."
He concluded, "I loved my life. I loved the people in it. My friends, my family, the woman who has my heart and my attention and my kid, who along with everyone else is going to wonder why.
"This isn't a love letter to romanticise this choice or a reason for others to follow. Just know what you're getting yourself in for.
"To my country New Zealand, be happy, be in love, find a reason to be in love with your life. I'll miss your mountains, your rivers and the sea so much.
"To Ukraine, you'll win. You'll see the sunflower fields plentiful under a free yellow and blue flag in the wind soon, I know it.
"Kura Takahi Puni. Onward. Слава Україні! (Glory to Ukraine!)."
'He died as a true warrior'
A Ukrainian major was among those to honour Te Tai, who died fighting for Ukraine. (Source: 1News)
His uncle, Pouroto Ngaropo, told 1News he was proud of his nephew's sacrifice.
"It's a sad day. Our family is still grieving the loss of our treasure, Kane," he said.
"He went overseas to fight for other people in return of their land, their rights as people so that's pretty awesome - reminds me of the 28th Māori Battalion."
Major Sergei Gusovskyy, who serves in the Ukrainian military, made the trip over to Aotearoa to deliver Te Tai’s medals to his family.
"He died as a true warrior, and he took quite a number of enemies' lives with him," Gusovskyy said.
He said it was an honour to represent Ukraine, showing the country’s appreciation for his sacrifice.
"It's a big honour for me to come over here and to bring his awards, his medals and to say those words of appreciation and love from Ukraine."
Gusovskyy said his fallen comrade was ready to sacrifice his life for the freedom of Ukraine.
"It was very clear for him that he was ready – if necessary – to sacrifice his life fighting with his friends and buddies and fighting against pure evil."
And it wasn’t just foreign soldiers who attended the funeral – all three branches of the New Zealand Defence Force were there, despite the fact it wasn’t an official military funeral.
Te Tai’s whānau are grateful for the support.
"You had an army man be welcomed on a navy base marae; it's quite unique in terms of the cultures that have blended today," Ngaropo said.
Two New Zealanders have already been killed in Ukraine. Dominic Abelen, 28, was on leave without pay from the New Zealand Defence Force when he was killed in Donetsk in August. His body has not been returned to his family.
Andrew Bagshaw, a dual New Zealand and British citizen, was killed in the town of Soledar when his car was hit by an artillery shell in January. He was 47.
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