NEW  ZEALAND
FOLK * SONG 		Haruru Ana

Maori songs - Kiwi songs - Home

Be guided by the gospel message, in the same way as
a waka crew is guided by the wind plumes at the prow.

Haruru ana te rongopai nei,
e horahia nei e te reo
Ki runga i nga iwi
o te motu nei.

E kore e whakawai mai,
E whakararu i te tikanga
Kei hurihia te ture wairua
Ki te ture tangata

Whakatiahotia rā,
E te rōpū rangatahi e.

Ko te kaupapa o te Māramatanga
Kia rite ki nga ihi o te rā

No reira e nga iwi,
kia tika te hoe mai
i te waka nei.
Kei pariparingia e te tai,
ka mōnenehu te kura.		 This gospel is continually reverberating
as it is spread by word of mouth,
across all the regional groups
of the land.

Do not be enticed
into changing its observance
lest the spiritual law is overwhelmed
by the law of men

Let it be proclaimed
by the young people.

The purpose of the Maramatanga movement
is to make this as clear as the rays of the sun.

Therefore everybody
let the paddling be correctly done
in the canoe.
Though steep are the waves
merely misted are the red feathers.




An old proverb

Kei pariparingia e te tai, ka mōnenehu te kura. 
Though steep are the waves, misted are the precious feathers.

A sea-going canoe had plumes of feathers on its prow, to indicate wind changes for the helmsman. If the waka was navigated properly, the prow stayed up above the waves, so that the plumes were not drenched with seawater, and the boat flooded.

This is a picturesque way of saying that living together may be difficult, but if everybody acts in the proper way, their treasured guidance system (the gospel message) will still lead them on their voyage through life.


 

Draft webpage put onto folksong.org.nz website June 2013