Whakaeke of Te Maurea Whiritoi from the National Secondary School Kapa Haka Competition 2022.
Lyrics composed by Koro Ngāpō Wehi, Toti & Frankie West.
Tune composed by Puhirere Akuhata, Toti & Frankie West.

KUPU
E noho ana au i te mahau o Te Ao Mārama, e
Mātai atu rā ki Te Kōpū Mānia o Kirikiriroa, e

Ko te ngāwhā whakatupu ake
O te whenua mōmona, e
Kua haehaetia
Motu rikiriki tōku ūkaipō

Pēnei i ahau e tū ake nei
Taku mana Māori e kōingotia nei
Taku mana Māori, mana motuhake, e

Ehara nāku ēnei tūākiri
He mea whāngai i te kōpū
Kei whea tōku āhuru mōwai
Hei whakaora i ahau

Tāne-rore! Hine-rēhia!
Whakaara mai rā!

Tērā te hīhātangi mai o Koro Ngāpō, e
Ka titiro hoki au
Ki runga, ki raro, ki waenganui
Kei whea ake rā
He oranga mō taku Māoritanga, e?
Auē! Kei tēnei tuku rānei?
Kei tērā tuku rānei?
Kei te koraha noa pea
Porepore mai ana, e

Kei Te Maurea Whiritoi pea?
Auē! Kaua rā e tukuna
Kia riro te mana me te wehi
Te tapu me te ihi
Kei heke atu ki te whenua
Ka oti atu ki te pō

Tēnei te kimiora te whakaeke nei
Ko Te Maurea Whiritoi e tau nei
Koia!
Hō!

TRANSLATION
I sit on the verandah of Te Ao Mārama
Gazing out to Te Kōpū Mānia o Kirikiriroa

‘Tis my lands bursting with the fullness of fertility
That have been lacerated
My source of sustenance has been slashed into small pieces

As have I who stands before you now
‘Tis my mana Māori motuhake that I yearn for

These wounds I bear are not of my making
They were fed to me in the womb
Where can I find a safe place
A place of healing for me?

Tāne-rore! Hine-rēhia!
Arise!

Yonder are the resounding words of Koro Ngāpō
I look
Above, below, and everywhere in between
Where is
The future of my Māoritanga?
Alas! I look hither
And thither
Is my Māoritanga in a state of collapse?

Perhaps its future lies within Te Maurea Whiritoi?
Beware young man, young woman
Lest the heritage, the sanctity and the dignity of your race
Descend with our ancestors into the bowels of the earth and become irretrievable

Embarking this stage is the search for salvation
Settling on this stage is Te Maurea Whiritoi
It shall be done!
Hō!

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