SONGS

WHĀIA - Lyrics and Translations
music and lyrics c 2014 L.Greening and L.McIver

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WHĀIA LYRICS AND TRANSLATIONS

BY 

Whāia and The Māhician

1 : MIHI KI TE RĀ – The dawn chorus celebrates the sun’s energy and warmth

Tīoriori ai ngā manu i te ata pūao Kei te mihi atu rā ki a Tamanui Te Rā Ko te tuakana Nō Te Whānau Mārama E korowai ana i te rangi nei Mihi ki te rā Oha ki te ao, oha ki te pō Mihi ki te rā Ko te awatea ko te mahana Kōanga, raumati, ngahuru me te hōtoke Ko ngā kaupeka nei Hei whakawehe i te tau Māna ko te rā ngā huringa e whakarite Nā tōna whiti tupu ai ngā hua ora e Ara mai i Te Rāwhiti Whitia mai to mahana I te rangi nei Tō atu ki Te Hauāuru Koia rā te māramatanga o 'Te Ao Tūroa' He koha ki te ao Nā ngā mahi a Tāne Te Waiora Kei te rohe ia o Ranginui a Tāmaku He uri whakaheke nō Ranginui Nō Papatūānuku

The early birds at dawn Greet the morning sun The elder sibling Of 'The Light Children' That cloak the heavens Celebrate the sun Greet the day and the night Celebrate the sun Who brings us light and warmth Spring, summer, fall, winter The cycle of seasons Dividing the year The sun controls their cycle His warmth nurtures growth Arise in the East Warming the earth From the sky above Settle into the West The light of 'the enduring world' is he A gift to us Through Tāne's actions Residing within Ranginui a Tāmaku Descending from Ranginui And Papatūānuku

2 : TĒNEI WAIATA – Music is a fantastic avenue to learn Māori or any  language

Ka rere pai tēnei waiata ki ahau e He aha kē tōna kaupapa? He uaua rā nō ngā kupu e Kei te whakarongo atu ahau Ki te waiata Māori Puta noa Te Reo Maori I ngā āhua katoa Mēnā ka whakarongo Ā tōna wā ka mau i a koe Ka wawata ahau ki te mau I ngā kupu o tēnei waiata Nā taku rongo i tēnei waiata Kua eke ahau i te waka o Te Reo Horahia ai Te Reo Kia rongohia e ngā iwi Mā tātou tēnei taonga Whakamaua kia tina e Puta noa ka rangona I ngā āhua katoa kōrerohia

I like the feel of this song I wonder  what it’s all about? The words are hard to understand Because I’m listening to A Māori song The Māori language can be used Anywhere, anytime If you listen carefully In time can learn it It’s my dream to learn The meaning of that Māori song Since I heard that Māori song I've decided to learn the language To speak the reo For all to hear This language has been gifted for us We should embrace it Spread it throughout let it be heard Use it, speak it everywhere

3 : KŌRERO I TE REO – Speak the Māori Language, ensure that it survives

Me he manu au Ka rere au ki te kimi oranga Mai i Te Waonui a Tāne Kia atawhaitia rā ahau Engari ko au Te Reo Māori Mā te kōrero Ka rere au, e ora ai Kōrero i Te Reo Nōku te mana ao tūroa Nōku te mana ao e tū nei Kōrero i Te Reo Me ko au te rā Ka rongohia whānuitia Tōku mahana, tōku whiti Ka awhitia tōku mana E te katoa Engari ko au Te Reo Māori Mā te kōrero Ka awhitia tōku mahana Kōrero i Te Reo

If I were a bird I would seek refuge Within 'The great forest of Tāne' There I would be nurtured However, I am the Māori language Through speech I fly, I flourish So please speak the language I am the embodiment of culture, past And present So please speak the language If I were the sun All would know My warmth, my brightness My essence would be embraced By all However, I am the Māori language Only through speech Will my presence be embraced Speak the language

4 : WHAKAPONO – Believe in your ancestors’ strength to lead you through life

Āwhiowhio haere ngā pōauautanga He aha rā hei oranga? He nohonga apiapi Kua tata pau ngā hua Me pēwhea rā ngā iwi o tēnei whenua Auē, auē taukiri e Nā te karere mai i a Kupe Kawea mai ana te tūmanako hou Ka eke panuku, ka eke Tangaroa Ka kimihia te oranga hou mō te iwi Te hekenga nui, te hekenga roa Te hekenga pamamao Tae rawa mai ana ki Aotearoa Nā te aha? Nā te whakapono i ngā tikanga Rātou i ārahi He tino taonga tēnei I tukua iho mai i ō tātou tūpuna Ka eke panuku, ka eke Tangaroa Ka kimihia te oranga hou mō te iwi Ka eke panuku, ka eke Tangaroa Whakaponohia ngā tikanga tūpuna He aha ō hiahia mai i te rangi ki te whenua? He uri whakaheke koe nō Hawaiki Kei te aha koe kia whakatutukihia? He tangata motuhake koe Mai i te iwi motuhake Nā te whakapono i ngā tikanga I heke mai nei ngā tūpuna ki Aotearoa Mā tō whakapono koe e ārahi Pēnei i ngā tūpuna He pōauautanga nā ō tātou ahuatanga Me eke panuku, me eke Tangaroa Mā te whakapono tātou e ārahi

There's confusion throughout the land What is the solution To overcrowding The depletion of natural resources? What can the people of the land do? What indeed? When Kupe's word was received It carried a message of hope They embarked on a journey Searching for a better life It was a great and a long migration That traversed over great distances Eventually they arrived in Aotearoa How was this possible? It was their faith in who they are That was their guide An endowment From the ancestors They embarked on a journey In search of a better life They embarked on a journey Have faith in your ancestors What are your goals in life? You are a descendant of Hawaiki How will you reach them? Your ancestry is distinctive From exceptional people Faith in their customs Lead your ancestors here to Aotearoa Let your faith lead you to your goal Just like our ancestors We sit in confusion over today’s issues Let’s embark on that special journey With faith to lead the way

5 : WHĀIA –A desire to see our children follow on the right path to find fulfilment

Kua huri tō kanohi ki ngā rangi e Kia rerea e tēnei pīpī te kōhanga nei Pupū ake tōku wehi mōu e Heoi kia kaha rā i ō haerenga Taku taonga Nāku i awhi Kua tupu te rea Whāia tō huarahi Tō puāwaitanga e te tamaiti nei Ko tēnei anō te hua ki te whaea nei Kāore e tika kia mau tonu i a koe E rere, kia tūpato i ō haerenga Ka tukuna koe kia rere atu rā Maumaharatia ngā akoranga nui Whāia te tika Whāia te ora Whāia te iti kahurangi

With your face to the heavens You are ready to leave this nest Inside I feel anxious for you However, I wish the best for you  You are my treasure Whom I have nurtured Now with your fronds unfurled You must pursue your life’s path How you've blossomed my child Just as I your mother had hoped I can’t hold you forever Go, be safe It's time to let you fly Remember  where you came from Pursue all that is good Pursue all that is nurturing Pursue all your heart desires

6: TE KOHU – Sky-father and Earth-mother their enduring love is carried upon the mist

Ko Ranginui ko Papatūānuku Ka piri tonu tō rāua aroha Kakarauri te ao Huri iho ana tōku mata Ki te poho o te tau e Heke, heke, heke ana Kia horahia ai te aroha Mai i runga ki raro Awhi mai ana te pō hei korowai uwhi I ngā whakawhitinga tau Ka tau atu ki te kauawhi o Papatūānuku Tōku āhuru mō te pō Ao ake te rā Ōna ringa mahana e toro mai ana Ngārue ana te whenua e tōna miri Tōia mai ana Kūmea mai ana ahau I tōku taunga Ka kapohia e au te karere aroha Mai i raro ki te whaiāipo Ka hiki, hiki, hikitia ake ki te tau

Sky Father and Earth Mother Their enduring love Dusk approaches I turn eagerly towards The bosom of the sweetheart Slowly I descend Spreading the love Sent from above The night envelopes me cloaking This exchange of love I settle into the embrace of Papatūānuku My haven for the night As daylight arrives Bringing the sun's warmth Its caress causes the earth to shimmer Slowly I am pulled And uplifted From my resting place I keep close the message of love For her darling Carrying it upwards To her beloved

7 : KA PŪ TE AROHA – Two chiefly ancestors, an alluring scent and an historical union

Nā tōna ngākau kikini Wehea ai eTūrongo A Kāwhia ki Whāingaroa Ka takihaere ki te rohe o Kahotea Ki Heretaunga e Ko te kāinga o Māhina-a-rangi Ki reira mahi ai a Tūrongo Kitea ana tōna pai e Māhina-a-rangi Ka pū te aroha Ka aro a Māhina-a-rangi ki ana mahi Ka ngau te aroha Ka ingo a Tūrongo ki tēnei wahine Hei hoa rangatira Nā tōna kārangi ka puta ki te pō A Māhina-a-rangi kia Tūrongo Uwhia katoa tōna kanohi Ka kōhimu atu - "Taku aroha" Ka oma atu, ā, ka mahue Tōna kakara raukawa Rongohia ai e Tūrongo -"Na wai ke?" Ka pū te aroha Ch:Ka puta ki a Tūrongo ki te kimi I te wahine mau raukawa Ko wai kē ko Māhina-a-rangi Ka hono ngā waka rangatira e Nā tō rāua moetanga Ka puta mai a Raukawa He tohu tōna ingoa Kua pū tō rāua aroha

With a broken heart Tūrongo left his home Kāwhia, Whāingaroa To travel to Kahotea Heretaunga To the home of Māhina-a-rangi There Tūrongo worked Capturing  Māhina-a-rangi's eye Their love begins Māhina-a-rangi observed all he did Burning with love for him Tūrongo yearned for Māhina-a-rangi To be his wife Restlessly into the night Māhina-a-rangi set out for Tūrongo With her face concealed She boldly whispered - "My beloved" Running off she left behind Her lingering scent of raukawa Tūrongo inhaled it - "Who wears this? Their love begins Tūrongo set out to find The woman wearing raukawa It was  Māhina-a-rangi Forthwith uniting two prominent tribes From their marriage Raukawa was born His name is a testament Of how their love began

8 : KO TĀNE – Tāne the supreme being and his achievements for mankind

Ko wai rā te atua I tokona te rangi me te whenua Kia puta ki te ao mārama Ko Tāne Toko Rangi e Nā tēnei mahi nui Ka tupu te whakaaro nui Kia tū mai tēnei ao huri Ā, ka puta ngā iwi Nā Tāne Toko Rangi I whakawehe atu I a Papa rāua ko Rangi Ka puta ki te ao mārama Ko wai rā te atua I riro i ngā Kete o te Wānanga Kia mātau ai ngā hunga katoa Ko Tāne Te Wānanga Nā tēnei mahi nui Ka puta ngā iwi Mahi rangatira Mahi Atua Mahi nui e Tū mai te ao huri Tāne, Atua HAKA Tāne Toko Rangi Tāne Te Wānanga Tāne Nui A Rangi E Tāne Mahuta Tāne Te Waiora Tāne Matua e Ko te atua o te ngahere Ko te atua o te tangata e Ko Tāne e ngunguru nei Nāna te rangi me te papa i whakawehe Nāna te mātauranga i poua ki te whenua

Who was the deity Who separated the sky and the earth Let in the world of light? Tāne the Skylifter Through this great feat Came the notion To create a world That people could inhabit It was Tāne the Skylifter That separated Rangi and Papa To procure the 'world of light' Who was the deity Who obtained the Kits of Knowledge So beings might have wisdom? Tāne the Knowledgeable Through this great feat People came to be A magnificient achievement Divine intervention It was a great accomplishment How this world came to be Tāne, The Divine Tāne the Sky-Lifter Tāne the Knowledgeable Tāne Great Offspring of Rangi Tāne of the Forests Tāne the Life Giver Tāne the Parent He who presides over the forest He who is the deity of mankind Behold the presence of Tāne He separated the earth and sky He implanted knowledge upon the earth

9 : TAMARIKI KORIKORI – When the wind blows the sea and the forest play 

Kanikani, hurihuri, korikori, wiriwiri Ngā rau e Piupiu, pikopiko, pīoioi Ngā toetoe e Ko ngā tamariki nei a Tāne Mahuta Ngarungaru, pupuhi, hukahuka Ngā ngaru moana e Whirowhiro, āwhiowhio, huri takawiri Te one e Ko ngā tamariki nei a Tangaroa e Ka pupuhi te hau Ko Tāwhirimātea Ka kori mai ngā hua  A Tāne, a Tangaroa

Dancing, twirling, moving, shaking The leaves on the trees                 Swaying, flexing, swinging The toetoe (cattails) These are Tāne Mahuta's children Rising, swelling, frothing The waves of the sea Swirling, twisting, turning The sand on the shore These are the children of Tangaroa When the wind blows it’s Tāwhirimātea The young ones play Tāne and Tangaroa’s children

10 : PAPATŪĀNUKU - Earth-Mother giver of life and sustenance 

Papa, whaea Atawhaitia ki te hauora Ko te whaea koe o te whenua Nōu te mana whakatupu Papa, whaea Ko tō tinana he kāinga Ko tō korowai he kai Papa, whaea Atawhaitia ki te hauora

Papa, mother Nurturing, life giving You are our Mother Earth You bring forth life Papa, mother Your form, our shelter Your cloak, our sustenance   Papa mother Nurturing, life giving

 

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