In
1918, Paraire Tomoana composed this tangi
to Maori solders lost in battle during World War 1. His music
is supposed to be based on an obscure German waltz tune, the
Blue Eyes Waltz, although I can't hear any similarity.
1. E pari rā e ngā tai
ki te ākau.
E hotu rā ko taku manawa.
Aue! Me tangi noa
Ahau i muri nei
Te iwi e
He ngākau tangi noa.
Chorus: Tēnā rā! Tahuri mai!
E te tau! te aroha.
Tēnei rā ahau te tangi nei.
Mōhou kuā wehea nei.
Haere rā! mahara mai.
E te tau! kia mau ki au.
Haere rā! ka tūturu ahau.
Haere Rā!
2.Haere rā e tama
Haere rā.
Haria rā te aroha i ahau
Aue! me tangi noa
Ahau ki muri nei
Te iwi e
He ngākau tangi noa.
The tides surge
onto the seashore
and my heart throbs.
Alas! Weeping without restraint
I am left behind.
Everyone are
Utterly heart-broken.
Chorus: So come back, return
My beloved, my love
I am weeping here
for you now far away
Farewell! and remember,
Beloved! be true to me
Farewell! I will be true to you
Farewell!
2. Farewell young man,
Farewell.
Take my love with you
Alas! There is weeping inside of
me, left behind here
and inside of the
people
Weeping in our hearts.
Guitar
Chords
1.D E pari rā
engā tai
ki te A ā-D-kau.
E A hotu G
rā ko taku A
mana-D-wa.
A-F-u-A-e!
D Me tangi noa A Ahau i D
mu-A-ri D
nei GTe iwi D
e Abm He ngākau
D ta-A-ngi
D noa.
Chorus: Tē-G-nā
Drā!
Tahuri A mai!
E te Emtau! te A aro-D-ha.
Tē-G-nei
rā Da-D7-hau
te G tangi
E7 nei.
A
Mōhou E7 kuā
wehea Anei. DHae-G-re
Drā!Mahara
A mai!.
E te Emtau! kiaA
mau ki D au.
Haere rā! AmkaB7 tūtu-Em-ru
ahau.
Ha-E7-e-a-re
Drā!
A footnote in this book says this song is based on one
sung in about 1824 by a young Hawkes Bay chief.
Titirangi Pa had been overrun by Ngapuhi and Uruwera
warriors, and the chief's lover was being carried off
into slavery.
World
War One: The two verses and English translation
are from Rikihana's Waiata Maori, 1992.
Notice that the first verse Aue! Me tangi noa a hau i muri nei
has been changed to Aue! Haria mai te aroha kia mai
And
with a new second verse, Whakatomo Ellison, a soldier
killed in France in World War One, is now the person
to whom the song is addressed to.
A
poi version. Ngamoni Huata (The Rhythm and Life
of Poi published 2000) says that a poi version by
of E Pari Ra was performed by Ngati Kahungunu at
the opening of Mahinarangi meeting house at Ngaruawahia
in March 1929. Praire Tomoana was the father of
Ngamoni's mother-in-law, Rinahora Ybel Huata.
Opening
line
The
opening line is a reference to an ancient waka chant. (James
Cowan, Legends of the Maori, Vol 1)
E
pari ra ko e te tai,
Whakaki ana mai
Nga ngutu-awa.
Hui nga ope au
Ki te tai uru.
Aue! Toia!
Aue! Koia hoki.
Hūkere, Waikato!
Aue, ku-umea!
Tūpara, Tūpara,
Tūpara, Waikato!
Tōia, e!
Flowing
there is the ocean tide,
Surging towards me,
Filling up the mouth of the river.
Gathering are the armies
At the sea of the west.
Now dip the paddles!
That's it! Come along!
Straight down, Waikato!
Oh, a long, strong stroke!
Quickly, quickly!
Quicker, Waikato!
Pull away O!
Various sources say Tomoana derived the tune
from an obscure German tune. And according to the booklet
included with the Kiri, Maori Songs CD, this is
the Blue Eyes Waltz. It is a tune which can be found on
lots of German om-pah band recordings, as this
web search will show you.
However
when I downloaded a midi file of the Blue Eyes
Waltz from an old-time music site , I could hear
no similarities at all, even with the Blue Eyes
slowed right down to a third of its speed, and the
om-pah removed. Maybe Tomoana used another obscure
German waltz.
Please
e-mail me if you know any other tune it is based
on. [email protected]
Fezz
Fritsche and the Goosetown Band
Immigrant Waltz, Dr. Grau, Anna Lisa, Waltz of
the Angels, Tanta Anna, Goosetown Polka,
Moonbeams Clear, Cuckoo Waltz, Deutchland
Drinking Song, Mountain Bell Schottische, Tavern
Waltz, Schnitzel Bank, Julida Polka, Blue Skirt
Waltz, Swiss Girl Waltz, Just Because, Poor
John, Blue Eyes
Waltz, Cotton Eyed Joe, and Winona
Waltz.
Paraire
Tomoana was born in Hawke's Bay in about 1875.
Composer, publisher, Ngati Kahungunu and Ngati Te
Whatu-i-apiti leader. His secondary education was at
Te Aute College, alongside of Apirana
Ngata and Peter Buck. He was prominent in the
Young Maori Party.
Despite having been born with a club foot, Paraire
excelled in sport, representing Hawke's Bay in
tennis, cricket and hockey, and for more than 10
years was the undefeated champion at the NZ Maori
golf tournament. Appointed All Black coach in 1904.
He married twice. His first marriage had ended by
1912. The following year he married Kuini Ripeka
Raerena (Ryland) aged 19. Paraire courted her by
sending a letter with sentiments similar to those of
Pōkarekare Ana to her and her Ngati Porou
elders. They had four sons and four daughters, as
well as an adopted son from Tomoana's first
marriage.
During WWI helped raise funds for the Maori
Soldiers' Fund by organising a song and dance group
(Te Poi o Heretaunga) which performed at Wellington,
Trentham and Auckland, including his compositions Hoea
Ra Te Waka Nei, and E Pari Ra (1918 - the
famous tangi for soldiers lost in battle). His songs
reflected the modern European 'action song' style,
moving away from the ancient chant rhythm of waiata
and patere. Among his compositions are Te Ope
Tuatahi, Poi Waka and Tahi
Nei Taru Kino.
As well as composing action songs, Paraire was an
accomplished writer and translator, a commentator on
ancient waiata, and was well versed in Maori history
and lore. Paraire was a remarkable man because he
did so many things and did them comprehensively. He
died in 1946
One of Paraire and Kuini's sons, Flight Sergeant
Tomaturangi Te Tomoana, was killed in action over
Europe in 1943, age 29. A daughter Ringahora Heni
Ngakai Ybel Tomoana, married Wi Huata, a priest and
military chaplain. Full biography at DNZB.
