The lament of Ririkoko
Extract from "History & Traditions of West
Coast Maori prior to 1840,"
Percy Smith, 1910
After the first settlement of the crew of the canoe "Takitumu" in
the South Island, some Ngati Hau from Whanganui were the next
to cross Cook Strait and settle at Arahura, near Hokitika, on the
West Coast. Next was a tribe named Pohea, also from Whanganui,
who settled near Whakatu, or Nelson.
The tribe Ngati Tumatakokiri who were originally from the Bay of
Plenty and Taupo were the next to arrive. They spread themselves
over the Whakapuaka, Nelson, Waimea, Motueka, Rotoiti, Rotoroa,
and Golden Bay districts, and down the West Coast as far south as
the Karamea River. It was some of this tribe who attacked Tasman's
boat crew on the 18th December, 1642, when he visited there.
About the same time, a party of Ngai Tahu crossed the alps and
attacked the Ngati Wairangi at Arahura, on the West Coast, for the
purpose of getting greenstone, and they speedily overcame them. The
Ngai Tahu had not long been in possession of the West Coast before
they were attacked by the Ngati Tumatakokiri. Ngai Tahu and Ngati
Tumatakokiri continued to have fights about who had the right to
catch weka, kiwi and kakapo in the Upper Grey and Buller
districts, but nothing of any moment took place until their
territory was invaded by a division of Ngati Apa from
near Whanganui in about 1810, and most of the Ngati
Tumatakokiri were killed except for some women who taught this
ancient song to the Ngati Kuia and Ati Awa people.
This is the lament of Ririkoko, who, on the death of his daughter,
followed her to Cape Reinga, the place of departed spirits, and
brought her back again.
E tomo, E hine,
ki Murimuri-te-po,
Ko to Tatau-o-te-po,
Ko te whare tena
o Rua-kumea
O Rua-toia,
O Miru ra e !
No Tu-horo-punga,
no Kai-ponu-kino
Nana koe i maka
i te kopae o te whare
Ki te ata ki a Te Kamu.
Ka huri mai hoki to wairua-ora,
E Hine! ki a au. |
You have entered, O
girl,
to the far northern underworld,
it's your door to eternity.
That is the house
of the Puller-into-the-Chasm
of the Dragger-into-the-Abyss
—of Miru down there !
of the Constantly Devouring One
of the Always-Eating One.
It was her who cast you
into the corner of her house,
into the shadow of Te Kamu*
and then your living spirit turned,
O lady! towards me. |
I can't find anything about
Te Kamu - can anyone help?
|
Nau mai, E te tau! ki roto nei taua,
Titiro iho ai taku tonga-rerewa
He motoi taniwha no roto i te kopa
Na to whaea, na to tuakana,
na Hine-korangi,
He awe toroa no runga i a Karewa,
Nana i unu ake, tukua mai kia rere.
E Tama ma e! tauwhirotia mai
Te waka o te makau
Me tuku kia whano nga mata kurae,
Ki Rua-taniwha e.
Kia wawe ia te ihu
Ki Otama-i-ea
Tahuri atu ki tua ki One-tahua—e—
Te whenua ra e, kihai au i kite,
E takahia mai ra, e Tu-ki-Hawaiki. |
Welcome back, my love! to this our home.
Let me gaze on my found-again treasure
a bronze stone pendant from the treasure bag;
once your mother's, your cousins,
even Hine-korangi's*
you are like the albatross plume from Karewa,*
plucked from its wing and brought here.
O my friends! welcome with beckoning hand
the canoe carrying my loved one,
and let it pass on by the many capes
that lead to Ruataniwha.*
Quickly shall the bow
reach Otama-i-ea.*
then turn away to One-tahua,*
to that land I have never seen,
where Tu-ki-Hawaiki* goes to and fro |
the departed girl's sister
an island off Kawhia
point nth of Little Wanganui
boulder bank at Nelson
Cape Farewell spit
an early Tumatakokiri chief |
|