A farewell ceremony was held on March 11 at Kyiv’s Baikove Cemetery for Dominic Abelen, a New Zealand citizen, and a member of the Māori indigenous people, and a volunteer in the International Legion who fought for Ukraine, reports Ukrinform.
The 28-year-old soldier was a corporal in the New Zealand Army with nine years of service.
After Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Dominic volunteered to help and joined the Foreign Legion under the call sign “Tolkien,” the last name of famed fantasy book writer J.R.R. Tolkien.
Initially, he served as an instructor, teaching Ukrainian soldiers tactical medicine and modern weaponry.
He went to the frontlines in the summer of 2022. He always led from the front, protecting his comrades in arms, as a group commander. His bravery earned him the Ukrainian military intelligence medal, according to RBC Ukraine.
Abelen had told his family he was traveling. Friends recalled that he was passionate about sports, yoga, marathons, and reading. He dreamed of opening a hotel, having many children, and even considered adoption.
The soldier was killed on Aug. 23, 2022, during a complex combat mission near Vuhledar in Donetsk region. His body was recovered only recently. He will be buried in his homeland.
In Kyiv, friends and fellow soldiers assembled to pay their respects to the fallen hero.
“Dominic was a professional soldier. I served with him in New Zealand, and I’ve known him since then. He was full of life – cheerful and combative. He carried the spirit of a warrior throughout his life,” said Dominic’s comrade, “Panda.”
At the ceremony, Abelen’s friends and acquaintances performed the haka, a traditional Māori war dance, which holds great cultural significance in New Zealand.
“We thank you for fighting for our lives, for the lives of all Ukrainians, for the future of Ukraine, and for Ukraine’s right to be free,” the attendees said.
The farewell ritual is a powerful expression of grief, strength, and remembrance.
It not only honors the fallen but also supports the community in its sorrow, said Nataliya Poshyvaylo-Towler, UWC Vice President for Southern and Southeast Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Türkiye, and Lebanon.
“In this moment of farewell, cultures intertwine in a shared understanding of sacrifice, dignity, and the enduring spirit of warriors who stand for freedom,” she said.
Ukrainian defenders respect cultural traditions and understand the importance of honoring a true warrior in a dignified manner, in line with traditions – something that is “profoundly symbolic.”
“As Ukrainians fight to protect their culture, language, and land from Russian aggression, they deeply understand the significance of preserving cultural identity—something that resonates with the indigenous Māori people,” she said.
Abelen courage “will never be forgotten.”
“Moe mai rā [“Rest in peace” in Māori], Dominic,” Poshyvaylo-Towler said.
Photos: Ukrinform
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