This
song is derived from a Ringatu prayer based on Luke 2:14
He hōnore, he korōria1
Maungārongo ki te whenua. Whakaaro2
pai e
Kingā tangata katoa
Ake ake, ake ake.
Āmine Te Atua, te piringa,
Toku oranga.
Honour, glory and
peace to the land.
May good thoughts come
to all men
for ever and ever, for ever and ever.
Amen.
The Lord is the refuge and my life.
1. This is derived from the angel's words to the
shepherds when Christ was born; "Kia whai kororia te Atua i runga rawa, kia mau
te rongo ki runga ki te whenua,
me te whakaaro pai ki nga tangata."
"Glory to God in the highest, and on earth
peace and good will toward men." (Luke 2:14)
2. Whakaaro is pronounced whaka-aro,
with doubled short "a" sounds.
It is not whakāro, with one long "a"
sound.
Guitar Chords
C He
hōnore, he ko-Am-rōria
Mau-F-ngārongo
G
ki te whe-C-nua Wha-C-ka-aro
Am
pai e
Ki F
ngā tanga-G-ta
kato-C-a
Ake G
a-a-Am-ke,
ake G
a-a-Am-ke
F
Ā-ā-ā-mi-G-ne Te A-G-tu-u-Am-a,
te pi-G-ri-i-Am-nga,
F
Toku G
ora-C-nga
Origins
The words of this waiata have Biblical and Tūhoe origins.
The words from Luke's gospel had been used in an old Ringatū
karakia, and other variants have evolved from this prayer.
In 1992 Ranui Ngarimu made use of a version of this karakia
that was used by the Maori language teaching organisation Te
Ataarangi Inc as an opening prayer for their students.
She arranged the leading words of the karakia so they could
be sung to a tune composed by her son Taina Piripi Ngarimu.
Her family then sung it when they were visited by a group
of tutors from Waikato Polytechnic to discuss a Te Ataarangi
kaupapa. So it was first heard by others in Mrs Ngarimu's
home on the West Coast of the South Island following her
husband's mihi whakatau to their Te Ataarangi visitors.
The key tutor for the visit, the late Petiwaea Manawaiti,
obtained her permission to take this waiata back to their
summer schools in the Waikato, where it has been regularly
sung from that time on.
The tune was an original composition by Taina Piripi Ngarimu
who has created many tunes for their whanau waiata.
Other prayers
There are several prayers derived from the old Ringatū one.
Here is an example.
He hōnore, he korōria ki te Atua
He maungārongo ki te whenua
He whakaaro pai, ki nga tangata katoa
Hanga e te atua, he ngākau hou
Ki roto ki tēnā, ki tēnā o matou
Whakatongia tōu wairua tapu
Hei āwhina, hei tohutohu i a mātou
Hei ako hoki i ngā kupu
I roto i tēnei mahi.
Ake, ake
Āmine
Honour and glory to God
Peace on Earth
Goodwill to all people
Lord, develop a new heart
Inside all of us.
Instil in us your sacred spirit
Help us, guide us
to really learn the words in this textbook.
For ever and ever
Amen