NZ Waiata Tangi * Te Kooti's Kaore Hoki

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In the 1850s Te Kooti had been a philandering, thieving "young terror" in Poverty Bay,
but by the 1860s his trading schooners to Auckland were undercutting Pakeha traders,
and so his many enemies had him arrested and transported to the Chatham Islands.
With Hauhau followers, he escaped back to Poverty Bay in 1868. A war started when
    government roops tried to arrest them, which the government used as an excuse to
confiscate as much Maori land as possible. They found shelter in Tuhoe country, and
by 1871 the Government and other Maori Iwi were laying waste to Tuhoe villages there.
Te Kooti composed this waiata while asking for safe haven in the Maori King's territory.

Sung by Paora Temuera, 1887-1957, born in Ohinemutu, Rotorua.

I have slowed the tempo here to make
the words easier to comprehend.

This is the chant at the tempo it was recorded.
You should perform it at this speed.

Draft audio transcription
Not all long vowels are marked yet.
Some "Rs" pronounced as "L"
U of A Archives

Draft translation Please send corrections to
[email protected]

Kāore* hoki
te mānukanuka
te māhalahala
ki a pū tini
tū mana.
Ko i pupū ake ne
i roto i te hinengalo
e kore hoki e taea
te pehi iho ki roto ra.
28 sec
How great is
my worry,
and my anxiety
about great changes
harming our mana.
It is rising up here
in my mind
but it can't be kept
bottled up inside there.

Me panui atu
ki te tini, ki te mano,
e pae
e hoa ma, katahi ano au
44 sec
a Tamailangi,*
ka koakoa ke ki te titotito,
ki te hangaru e-e i-i...
Ka perea taku pere
ki te Tai Rawhiti,
ki a Hinematioro,* e kui e,
1:08 It must be communicated
to many, to thousands,
to the horizon.
O friends, I have just

from Tamairangi,
been taught to spot falsehoods
by gathering and comparing them
May my dart be flung
towards the East Coast,
towards the mana of Hinemaitoro, ma'am,

Tenei ano au kei te kimikimi
kei te wawae ake i roto
i te ururua*
kia kite au i
te takiritanga mai o te ata
1:25
kia kite au i
nga hihi o te ra
kia whiti mai te mahana
ki to kuku-riki.*
Kia ma kohakoha i taku noho.
1:51 Here I'll keep on checking the rumours
So that I may reach "the centre
of the undergrowth,"
and see
the unfolding of the dawn:

So that I may behold
the rays of the sun
bringing warmth
to your dark nightmare.
Then, when I vacate my place

kia pā mai te mahana
ki tou puate
ka pāpā piri noa
ka hāku turingia *
i te awhiatanga
a te mātao
e kui e-e-e-e
ki aro mai te taringa
ki te Matui
e tangi nei tui....., tui....., tui-tuia
2:29
may the warmth strike
right to your deepest emotions,
Touch your total loyalty
Scrape away the embedded deafness (??)
giving a helping hand
to the coldness
oh madam,
may your ear take notice
of the Bush Wren
calling "Unite...unite... stay bound together."

Ka perea taku pere
ki te tihi o Hikurangi*
e ia ma e
kia huri mai te taringa
ki te tangi a te Mātui
e tangi nei tui...a tui...a tui-tuia.
2:54 May my dart be flung
at the summit of Hikurangi
Everyone of you,
let your ear turn
to the Bush Wren's cry,
crying here, "Unite, bond together"

Ka perea taku pere
ki te Tai Tokerau,
ki te Tiriti o Waitangi.*
E mara ma e,
kia huri mai te taringa
ki te Mātui,
A tangi nei, "tui....a tui tuituia"
3:25
Ehala i te Mātui nga ona tohu
i hoka tu, me aha,
i te Pukenga.*
Ka tawhito ki a te pakoko
a te riaki nga-a pūnga mahala
o tua whakarere.
3:51
May my dart be flung
towards the North,
towards the Bay of Islands.
Good sirs,
let your ear turn
to the Bush Wren
crying here, "Unite, bond together"

That's not the Bush Wren's advice
that has soared up, somehow,
from the Bay of Plenty people.
It's past the time for the fruitless
bringing up of still-remembered impediments
from long ago.

Ka parea taku pere
ki te Tai Hauauru,
kia Mahinarangi,* e pa ma e,
ko te purapura* a Potatau,
i whiua mai nei
ki te Upoko te Ika,*
4:17
May my dart be flung
towards the Kawhia coast
so that under Mahinaarangi's patronage;
this seed kumara, oh Potatau
may be presented
to the Head of the Fish (the Government)

Mau e ki mai
i te aha
tonu koe te pōpō
Roro a ka huri
ka hemo te tini,
o te tangata i te ao oka
Apo to ki pai rau makue kī i
e tu e pā mai e
4:47 Be firm in speaking out
about what must be done.
Unceasingly cry about the rottenness.
Think how to turn our losses around.
and get rid of the changed circumstances
of the people in this pierced world.
Gather them safely together pleasantly full
and remaining in touch with each other.

Nā te ururua
nā te whenua
ka tītōhea ki a kawa rea,
ki te pūpū, ki te whakatiputipu,
ki te rauhi i te Taranata.*
5:08
i mauria mai nei e Rakai Hikuroa*
ki te upoko te ika e pa mai e-e-e i Now the overgrown lands,
then the rebirth:
from cleared fields to inedible shoots,
to clumps, to growing crops
to the gathering of the Talents.

This must be brought by East Coast people
to the notice of the government.

kia huri mai te taringa
ki te whakarongo
ki te Mātui,
e tangi nei
tuia.... tuia.... tuituia.........
Turn your ear
to listen
to the Matuhi
crying here
be intertwined.... stay united..... united...........

2. LONGER 1881 WARNING
Te Kooti retired to Ke Kuiti township in the King Country, but Pakeha land-grabbing continued unabated, especially in the South Island. In the mid 1870s, reserves were taken in Canterbury, and in 1878 at Hakataramea, then in 1879 Te Maiaharoa's hapu were evicted from the Waitaki basin., and by the beginning of 1881, Te Whiti's people at Parihaka in Taranaki were under threat. Consequently, the Wairarapa leader Paora Te Potangaroa re-issued Te Kooti's waiata, with extra verses about current threats in the South Island and at Parihaka.
Te Potangaroa's waiata

3. BRIEF 1891 VERSION
In 1891, an aging Te Kooti left the King Country and headed back to the East Coast to make amends with Ngati Porou, but he was turned back at Omarumutu, a little east of Whakatane, so he sent this abbreviated "Kahore" version to them.



Kāhore āku māharahara,
āku mānukanuka
ki āku tini māhara
e pupū akei roto i te hinengaro
Kahore hoki e taea
te pehi ki roto ra i aia..
How great are the worries
and anxieties
in many of my thoughts
bubbling up in my mind.
They can't be kept
bottled up inside there.

Me pani atu
ki te tini, ki te mano,
ki te rau e pae nei...

E hoa ma e katahi au, a Tamaiangi.
ka koa koa, ki te tito tito
ki te hanga rau e...
Pere taku pere ki te Tairawhiti
kia Hinematioro, e kui ma e.. They must be communicated
to many, to thousands,
to the bounds of this horizon.

O friends, I have just, from Tamairangi,
been taught to spot falsehoods
by gathering and comparing them
May my dart be flung towards the East Coast,
towards the mana of Hinemaioro, ma'am,

Tenei au kai te kimi ake,
kei te wauwau ake i roto i te ururoa
Kia kite atu au i te marama mai o te ata,
Kia kite atu au i nga hihi o te ra. Here I'll keep on checking the falsehoods
So as to reach "the centre of the undergrowth,"
Let me unfurl the light of dawn:
let me behold the rays of the sun.

Kia pa mai te mahanatanga
ki te tau o taku ate
Kua papa piri tia
i te awhitanga a te mataotao...
e kui ma e, ia tahuri mai te taringa,
ki te whakarongo
ki te tangi a te Matuhi
E tangi nei, tuia, tuia, tui, tuia..
May its warmth strike here
as the cord connecting my deepest emotions
compressing, sticking to my stomach
as the cure to my coldness.
Oh ma'am turn your your ear
to listen
to the cry of the Matuhi
calling here "Unite, bind together."

Pere taku pere ki te tihi o Hikurangi,
e hoa ma e... Kia tahuri mai te taringa,
ki te whakarongo
ki te tangi a te Matuhi
E tangi nei, tuia, tuia, tui tuia... May my dart be flung at the summit of Hikurangi
Everyone of you,
let your ear turn
to listen to the cry of the Matuhi
crying here, "Unite, bond together"

Pere taku pere ki te Taitokerau,
ki te Tiriti o Waitangi,
e mahara mai e...
May my dart be flung
towards the North,
towards the Treaty of Waitangi,
Good sirs,

ko nga purapura enei
i whiua mai e Potatau
ki te Upoko o Te Ika,
May this seed kumara,
be presented oh Potatau
to the Head of the Fish (the Government)

Kia mahara mai e...
Kia tahuri mai te taringa,
ki te whakarongo
ki te tangi a te Matuhi
E tangi nei, tuia, tuia, tui tuia...
so that this is kept in mind
"Turn your ear
to listen
to the Matuhi
crying here, 'Be intertwined.... stay united..... united...........'"

Compare all versions of 'Kaore Hoki'

Kāhore āku māharahara, āku mānukanuka ki āku tini māhara e pupū akei roto i te hinengaro Kahore hoki e taea te pehi ki roto ra i aia..	How great are the worries and anxieties in many of my thoughts bubbling up in my mind. They can't be kept bottled up inside there.
Me pani atu ki te tini, ki te mano, ki te rau e pae nei... E hoa ma e katahi au, a Tamaiangi. ka koa koa, ki te tito tito ki te hanga rau e... Pere taku pere ki te Tairawhiti kia Hinematioro, e kui ma e..	They must be communicated to many, to thousands, to the bounds of this horizon. O friends, I have just, from Tamairangi, been taught to spot falsehoods by gathering and comparing them May my dart be flung towards the East Coast, towards the mana of Hinemaioro, ma'am,
Tenei au kai te kimi ake, kei te wauwau ake i roto i te ururoa Kia kite atu au i te marama mai o te ata, Kia kite atu au i nga hihi o te ra.	Here I'll keep on checking the falsehoods So as to reach "the centre of the undergrowth," Let me unfurl the light of dawn: let me behold the rays of the sun.
Kia pa mai te mahanatanga ki te tau o taku ate Kua papa piri tia i te awhitanga a te mataotao... e kui ma e, ia tahuri mai te taringa, ki te whakarongo ki te tangi a te Matuhi E tangi nei, tuia, tuia, tui, tuia..	May its warmth strike here as the cord connecting my deepest emotions compressing, sticking to my stomach as the cure to my coldness. Oh ma'am turn your your ear to listen to the cry of the Matuhi calling here "Unite, bind together."
Pere taku pere ki te tihi o Hikurangi, e hoa ma e... Kia tahuri mai te taringa, ki te whakarongo ki te tangi a te Matuhi E tangi nei, tuia, tuia, tui tuia...	May my dart be flung at the summit of Hikurangi Everyone of you, let your ear turn to listen to the cry of the Matuhi crying here, "Unite, bond together"
Pere taku pere ki te Taitokerau, ki te Tiriti o Waitangi, e mahara mai e...	May my dart be flung towards the North, towards the Treaty of Waitangi, Good sirs,
ko nga purapura enei i whiua mai e Potatau ki te Upoko o Te Ika,	May this seed kumara, be presented oh Potatau to the Head of the Fish (the Government)
Kia mahara mai e... Kia tahuri mai te taringa, ki te whakarongo ki te tangi a te Matuhi E tangi nei, tuia, tuia, tui tuia...	so that this is kept in mind "Turn your ear to listen to the Matuhi crying here, 'Be intertwined.... stay united..... united...........'"