Waiata – songs, chants, hymns, lullabies, love songs, laments etc. – are sung to embellish speeches, to convey a particular message, to impart a story or historical event or to entertain or bring closure as a single entity. Every culture has its own form of song and dance and use them as a way of expressing who they are and what they're about.
In Māoridom, waiata are used in all of these ways and more. Waiata is an integral part of formal speech-making and a vital way of expressing ourselves, both traditionally and contemporarily. What follows is a small selection of waiata, chosen for a number of reasons: some because they are well known waiata, others because they are known to, and regularly used by, some staff members, and/or because they were written by or for staff of the University. Where possible, we have included a translation, a sound file (or a link to a clip) and also acknowledged the composers of the waiata.
Waiata noted with a * indicates that it is appropriate to be sung to support a speaker during a powhiri or mihi whakatau.
National Anthem
E Ihowa Atua o ngā iwi mātou rā,
Āta whakarongona me aroha noa.
Kia hua ko te pai, kia tau tō atawhai.
Manaakitia mai, Aotearoa.
O Lord, God of nations and of us too
Listen to us, cherish us
Let goodness flourish, may your blessings flow.
Defend Aotearoa.
God of Nations, at thy feet
In the bonds of love we meet
Hear our voices we entreat
God defend our free land
Guard Pacific's triple star
From the bonds of strife and war
Make our praises heard afar
God defend New Zealand.
Mā wai rā *
Mā wai rā e taurima te marae i waho nei?
Mā te tika
Mā te pono
me te aroha e.
Who will take responsibility
on the marae now?
Through the correct way
Through truth and
Through love (it will be done).
Te Aitanga a Mate me Te Whānau Rakairoa
Te Aroha *
Te aroha
Te whakapono
Te rangimarie
Tātou, tātou e
Love
Faith
Peace
For us all
Ehara i te mea *
Ehara i te mea
Nō inaianei te aroha
Nō ngā tupuna
I tuku iho, i tuku iho
This is not a new thing,
Love
It is handed down from our ancestors
E toru ngā mea *
E toru ngā mea
Ngā mea nunui
E kī ana te paipera
Whakapono
Tumanako
Ko te mea nui
Ko te aroha
There are three things
Three great things
As purported in the Bible
Faith
Hope
But the greatest of these
Is love
Ka Waiata
Ka waiata ki a Maria
Hine i whakaae
Whakameatia mai
Te whare takata
Hine pūrotu
Hine ngākau
Hine rangimarie
Ko te whaea
Ko whaea o te Ao
Let us sing to Mary,
The girl who said "Yes
let it be as you say, that I become
the house of mankind."
A simple girl
A strong-hearted girl
A quiet girl.
The Mother of Jesus,
and the mother
of the whole world
Whaia Te Iti Kahurangi *
Whaia te iti kahurangi aue...
Whaia te iti kahurangi
Me he tuohu tātou e
Me maunga teitei Taranaki
Hikurangi rangatira e
(E) Tipu e rea
Ko te matauranga e
Te ngākau e
Tō Māoritanga
Me te aroha
Wiarua
Hei tikitiki e
Aoraki he karanga atu
Raukura ko te tikanga
He maungarongo te whenua
Ko te hune a Toroa e
(E) Tipu e rea...
Tā Apirana te kākano
Pupuritia ngā tohu e
Tukua iho mai te kupu
Mō te hunga rangatahi e
(E) Tipu e rea...
E koro e, Te Rangihīroa
Anei tō Whare Wānanga
Anei te hunga mātauranga
Ārahina e te kupu e
(E) Tipu e rea
Ko te matauranga e
Te ngakau e
Tō Māoritanga
Me te aroha
Wiarua
Hei tikitiki e
Hei tikitiki e
Hei tikitiki e... (Whaia te iti kahurangi aue...)
Nā Godrey Pohatu i tito
Aue Taku Māoritanga
Aue taku Māoritanga
Ko taku puna aroha
Hei whakaora i ahau (x2)
Ka whitikina e te rā
Ko horoihia e te ua
E hou mai ana taku reo
Pupuhi mai taku aroha
Ka puritia mai te kākano
Ka whakatipu ake rā
Aue taku Māoritanga...
Tipu ake puawai e
He mana motuhake e
'tahi au hipokina e
Te Korowai aroha e
Ka tukuna mai e ngā tipuna e
He whakaruruhau
Aue taku Māoritanga ...
Kei te pēhea rā taku Māori e?...
Arahina mai ki te Ao hou? ...
Kei te pēhea rā taku Māori e?...
Arahina mai ki te Ao hou? ...
Kia kaha ki te whakaora
Ko te kupu a tipuna e
Kia kore koe e ngaro noa
Taku Māoritanga, taku Māoritanga
Aue taku Māoritanga
My Māori identity
Is my well of love
From which I receive validity
When I am exposed to the sun's rays and the rain
My Māori language comes to the fore
Imbuing love
The seed is developed
To maturity
Alas, it is my Māoriness...
It grows and blossoms
It represents my sovereignty
When I am enveloped
The cloak of love
Sent from the forebears
Shelters me
Alas, it is my Māoriness...
How does my Māori being cope
In the new milieu?
How does my Māori being cope
In the new milieu?
Be strong-hearted in your Māori identity
The words of our ancestors reiterate that my Māoriness ought not to disappear...
Alas, it is my Māoriness...
Hutia te rito *
Hutia te rito, hutia te rito o te harakeke
Kei hea te komako e kō?
Kī mai ki ahau, he aha te mea nui, he aha te mea nui o te Ao?
Māku e kī atu
He tangata, he tangata, he tangata, hei!
If you pluck the heart from the flax bush (which will then die), where will the bellbird perch?
What is the most important thing in this world?
I tell you, it is people, people, people!
Manu Tiria
Manu tiria, manu werohia
Ki te poho o Te Rāka
Ka tau Rērere
Ka tau mai i Te Ruhi
E tau e koia
Koia, koia
Ko tārarauriki
Kī mai i Māui
Ehara i te whitu, me te waru e
E tau e koia, koia!
(NOTE: words in italics above are sung only by the kaea, or leader)
Digging bird, planting bird
Within the chest of Te Rāka (Māui's father)
Landing after a long flight
Exhausted, resting prior to digging
Dig, dig
Here the first shoots
From Māui
Not (to plant) in the seventh or eighth months (Nov/Dec)
Settle, dig!
Nā Jasmine Dallas rāua ko Matiu Payne i tito
Ka kitea
Ka kitea ki te tonga
Ko tāku raukura he iti kahurangi e
Papaki
Papaki kau ana ki runga te maunga
Aoraki e koro e
Tū ana
Tū ana ki te Rangi heke ana ki te Papa
Ko tāku tūranga e
Ko te Wai
Ko Te Waipounamu
Ko Tahu Pōtiki
Tāku tupuna e
As I look to the south
To my plume
My precious jewel
Blow gently on the mountain
Aoraki, my koro
Up to the heavens
Down to the earth
This is where I stand
This is Te Waipounamu
Tahu Potiki is my ancestor
Me Tangi Ake (He Waiata Tangi/Lament)
Me tangi ake a Ranginui
Kia mahora ki matanaonao
Kia ahu atu ki ngā kōpiri o Matariki
Ko te huinga o ngā apa wahine
He pukepuke maunga
Kua waipuke te ao nei e
Nei au ki te kāhui riringi
He roimata taku ora i mate nei au
I kawea nei i te takere whatu ngākau
Koromaki nei e
Haere nei e
Haere nei koutou te haere o te moa
Waiho nei au ki te ao matemate
Mōu kua riro atu nei
Ki te kauhanganui o Hine-nui-te-pō
Ki te paepae nui o Hawaiki e
Ranginui's lament
Extends across the expanse of celestial bodies to the stellar configuration, Matariki
The congregation of female spiritual beings
Like a swelling of mountains
The world experiences great sorrow
Here am I in the spirit world
Weeping heals the heartfelt loss...
Farewell
Travel the path taken by the moa
I remain here, pining for you,
Who have departed,
To the sacred passageway of Hine-nui-te-pō
The Hawaiki of final rest.
E Te Pono Nihowera
E te pono nihowera
Anō te rangea
Anō te humi o tahuaroa
Hei whakawheti i a takapū
Te kīia ai he mākihakiha
Engari kē ia, he makue, he hūnene
Hei mōhukihuki i a tako
Nei rā te reo uruhau o tūao
E whakamānawa atu nei
E te pono nihowera...
E whakamānawa atu nei
E whakamānawa atu nei... (Wāhine mā, me mau tonu)
Anō te mākue, anō te hūnene (Tāne mā)
Hī!!!
In extravagance and abundance, the mid- section develops.
Where it is deemed tasteless, contradicts... it is pleasant, it is luscious!
Tempting ones palate!
Here the happy voice of content acknowledges the gratification...
Purea Nei *
Purea nei e te hau
Horoia e te ua
Whitiwhitia e te rā
Mahea ake ngā pōraruraru
Makere ana ngā here.
E rere wairua, e rere
Ki ngā ao o te rangi
Whitiwhitia e te rā
Mahea ake ngā pōraruraru
Makere ana ngā here,
Makere ana ngā here.
Scattered by the wind
washed by the rain
and transformed by the sun,
all doubts are swept away
and all restraints are cast down.
Fly o free spirit, fly
to the clouds in the heavens,
transformed by the sun,
with all doubts swept away
and all restraints cast down.
Yes, all restraints are cast down.
Whiti Te Mārama
Whiti te mārama i te pō
Tiaho iho mai koe
Hei karu mō te mata o te pō (x2)
Tō ana te rā ki te moe e
Tiaho iho mai koe
Hei karu mō te mata o te pō (x2)
Ki te kore koe te karu o te pō
Pōuri ana taku ara e (x2)
Hoki ana ahau ki te moe e
Tiaho iho mai koe
Hei karu mō te mata o te pō (x2)
Whitiwhiti ana e te mārama i te pō (x2)
The moon shines in the night
You beam down
The eye to the face of the night
When the sun sets to sleep
You beam down
The eye to the face of the night
Without you the eye of the night
My path is lost
When I turn to sleep
You beam down
The eye to the face of the night
Forever shining, the moon of the night
Waiata – Division of Humanities (sound file available) *
(When representing the division)
Interpretation One
Te Wānanga Aronui
Ki te tai
Paki mai
Au kōrero
Au wairua
He roma tāngata
Komiti e
The University, Division of Humanities
The mana whenua (Host tribal composition here at East Otago, Te Tai o Ara-i-te-uru)
An amalgamation of
Knowledge and spirit from the
Past and present forming the alumni of the University of Otago
Interpretation Two
Te Wānanga Aronui
Ki te tai
Paki mai
Au kōrero
Au wairua
He roma tāngata
Komiti e
The School of Learning
And the basket referred to as 'Te Kete Aronui'
Which focuses on the tides
Bringing information
Bringing vitality
Bringing people together
Whakaaria Mai (He Hīmene/Hymn)
Whakaaria mai
Tōu rīpeka ki a au
Tiaho mai
Rā roto i te pō
Hei konā au
Titiro atu ai
Ora, mate,
Hei a au koe noho ai
Show your cross to me
Let it shine
there in the darkness
To there I
will be looking
In life, in death,
let me rest in thee.
NOTE: Sing these words twice; first to the tune of the verse of 'How Great Thou Art', then to the tune of its chorus. At a mixed Pākehā/Māori gathering, you may want to sing the verse in English, then the chorus in Māori, for example:
Javascript must be enabled to play this media.
Whakaaria mai tōu rīpeka ki au
Tiaho mai, ra roto i te pō
Hei kona au, titiro atu ai
Ora, mate, hei au koe noho ai
Oh Lord my God, when I in awesome wonder
Consider all the worlds Thy hands have made
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder
Thy power throughout the universe displayed
He Honore (Lord's Prayer, sung)
He hōnore
He korōria
Maungarongo ki te whenua
Whakaaro pai e
Ki ngā tangata katoa
Ake ake, ake ake
A...... mine
Te Atua
Te Piringa
Tōku oranga
(repeat verse)
Tōku oranga
Amine
Honour
Glory (to God)
Peace of Earth
Goodwill
To all people
Forever and ever
Amen
Lord God
My pillar
My sustenance
Amen