NZ Folk Song * Ko Wai Ka Hua

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This song is a wonderful example of Aroha Whakamoritanga; an enduring relationship of equals in the old Maori way. Its tells of a soldier's longing for his faraway darling, and its music is 1940s swing style. This had me thinking its had been composed by Major Huata MC in about 1943.

But he actually wrote these words after his wife passed away in 1981, when all the memories and emotions he had shared with many of his comrades in the 28th Maori Battalion in North Africa and Italy came flooding back to him again.

Most popular version Literal translation for learners

Ko wai ka hua, ka tohu¹ Te aroha pūmau tonu? Ahakoa te iti noa, Piri kau mai anō?²	Who can know, who can tell how love remains steadfast? Despite little nourishment, It keeps close by without hinderance
Māha noa te wairua Manawarū³ ana Kakapa tōmina mai Auē, te aroha e	Quite contented is my spirit enraptured forever. I throb with desire. Oh, the love I have.
Aroha tonu Tūhirahira mai Whakahiapo⁴ āhei anō Hei tirohanga... Hei atawhai.	This love totally beguiles me Making you draw close again to behold you and care for you.
Rapua noa te hinengaro Āhuareka tonu He taku tau pūmau⁵ Hei whakamoritanga⁶ Takamori e... Takamori e... Takamiri e...	My mind is endlessly searched and continually delighted. You are my true love in the old Maori way. Fondling... caressing... embracing so closely...

(Source: this 2006 booklet: "Black Katz Salute the 28th Maori Battalion"

Notes

1. This phrase is abbreviated. The usual wording is "Ko wai ka hua, ko wai ka tohu?"- who knows, who can say? - implying that it is nigh impossible to find out. The above translation is a literal one for those learning Te Reo. But Te Ohanga's meaning here is "Who would have thought? True love is eternal!"

2. Piri, kau and and anō can all have multiple meanings: I've tried to use the meanings that fit the context here.

3. Manawarū (contented) is how it is now sung, although the original Black Katz CD's booklet has Mā ngā waru (for the scrapings), and 'ngā' is often pronounced as 'nā' on the East Coast.

It is neither 'Mānga waru' (Feeding on scraps) nor 'Manga waru' (eight streams). Remember that huamata waru (coleslaw) does not mean 'eight vegetables,' but 'grated vegetables'.

4. Whakahiapo - to embrace, whaka - to cause, hi - draw up, apo - together. Hiapo - to draw together. The first-born child drew familes together, so hiapo/matahiapo - first born. A baby has soft smooth skin, hence hiapo - soft smooth skin. The mulberry tree's bark is also soft and smooth, so tapa cloth is hiapo in Eastern Polynesia, or in Samoa, siapo.

5. He taku tau pūmau. It is great to find this beautiful phrase in another song. Twenty years earlier Sir Apirana Ngata translated the WW1 soldiers' song 'It's a Long Way to Tipperary' as 'Tipirere,' and for the final line, "But my heart's right there," he used the awkward phrase "Ki tae ahau." So the Maori soldiers in France changed it to "Ki taku tau pūmau."

6. Whakamoritanga

Prior to the British colonial invasion in Aotearoa, wāhine had as much mana, autonomy and authority as tāne, and as life-bearers they were highly respected. Any violence towards them was an injustice that had to be corrected by the entire hapū with an act of utu, the act of reciprocity and restoration of balance.

Colonization for wāhine Māori meant their rangatiratanga was taken away and they were reduced to being possessions of men and objects of sexual gratification.

England was a former colony of the old Roman Empire, and it still practiced the Roman social structure of Pater Familias, in which a male head of the household had full control over wife, children and slaves. Wives had few rights and were confined to the domestic sphere, a realm where abuse of women and children was accepted.

The decolonizing of relationships is the refusal to have domestic inequity or domestic abuse. Non-monogamous relationships have always existed in Māori culture. Even if it doesn't last forever, the goal should be a loving relationship, like that of Ranginui and Papatuanuku.
(from How Deeply Maori Love by Te Aniwaniwa Paterson)

The Folk Process

This song has undergone through several changes since it was composed. There are several differences in the words that were recorded by Ngatai Huata of the Black Katz in 1988, by Kui Waho in 2019, and by Toni Waho in 2000.

Ngātai Huata 1988	Toni Huata 2000	Kui Waho 2019

Ko wai ka hua ka tohu Aroha pūmau tonu Ahakoa te iti noa Piri kau mai anō	Ko wai ka hua ka tohu Te aroha pūmau tonu Ahakoa te iti noa Piri kau mai anō	Ko wai ka hua ka tohu Te aroha pūmau tonu Ahakoa te iti noa Piri kau mai anō.
Māha noa te wairua Mā ngā waru ana, Kakapa tōmina mai Auē te aroha e ...	Maha noa te wairua Manawarū ana Kakapa tōmina mai Aue te aroha e	Māha noa te wairua Mānga waru ana, Kakapa tōmina mai Auē te aroha e
Aroha tonu Tūhirahira mai Whakahiapo āhei anō Hei tirohanga Hei atawhai	Aroha tonu Tūhirahira mai Whakahiapo āhei anō Hei tirohanga Hei atawhai	Aroha tonu Tūhirahira mai Whakahiapo āhei anō Hei tirohanga... Hei atawhai
- Rapua noa te hinengaro Āhuareka tonu E taku tau pūmau Hei whakamoritanga	Moritanga Ngata noa te hinengaro Āhuareka tonu E taku tau pūmau Hei takamoritanga	- Rapua noa te hinengaro Āhuareka tonu He taku tau pūmau He takamoritanga
Takamori e ... Takamori e ... Takamiri e ...	Takamori e Takamiri ... Takamiri e	Takamori e ... Takamori e ... Takamiri e ...

Here is the version and translation now preferred by some of the Huata family.

Ko wai ka hua ka tohu Te aroha pumau tonu Ahakoa te iti noa, Piri kau mai anō.	Who would have thought? True love is eternal. Although revealed in small ways, It is close by.
Maha noa te wairua Manawarū ana Kakapa tōmina mai Aue te aroha e	Contented though the spirit Enraptured forever Desiring, yearning Alas it is love
Chorus Aroha tonu Tūhirahira mai Whakahiapo āhei anō Hei tirohanga hei atawhai	Your aloofness Seduces me Am I able to embrace you To gaze at you To care for you
Moritanga Ngata noa te hinengaro Āhuareka tonu E taku tau pūmau Hei takamoritanga Chorus Takamori e Takamiri Takamiri e	? The mind is satisfied With its sweet thoughts O my love To fondle and caress To caress To caress

Chords

G Ko wai ka hua ka tohu
Te aroha pumau D tonu
Ahakoa te iti noa
Piri kau mai G ano
Maha noa te wairua
Manga waru D ana
Kakapa tomina mai
Aue te aroha G e
Aroha tonu
Tu hirahira C mai

Whakahiapo G ahei ano
Hei tiro-D-hanga...
hei ata-G-whai

Rapua noa te hinengaro
Ahuareka D tonu
He taku tau pumau
He takamori-G-tanga
Takamori e... Takamori e...
Taka-D-miri e G

New words

These were all new words for me - have you seen them previously?
Noa - I know it has a general meaning of 'without restrictions' but I've found it has many other meanings depending on the context. It appears three times this song, and I had to translate it differently each time - very, quite, endlessly.

Māha - settled emotions. Satisfied and contented, or resigned and depressed.

Mānga - food chewed for baby to eat, or leftovers.

Waru - we all know that as an adjective it is eight, but here it is a verb - to scrape, peel, grate. It is an old word. Hawaii - walu, Samoa - valu, New Hebridies - baru-si. Used for food preparation, and in the burn-and-scrape method of tree-felling and canoe making.

Kakapa - to throb, palpitate, flutter, quiver. It's not kākā-pō, the parrot of the night.

Tōmina - verb or noun, desire, longing, hope, yearn.

Hinengaro - mind, conscousness, thinking.

Tūhirahira, unfulfilled desire. Tū - arise; hira - important, demanding attention; hirahira - demanding attention again and again.

Rapua - this seems to be passive here. Rapu, rapurapu, rapa - to seek. Older Pacific dialects give a sense of groping, seeking in the dark with one's fingers.

Takamori/takamiri - passionate caressing. Probably from taka - to lie entwined, morimori - to stroke gently, miri - to stroke firmly.

Major "Aussie" Te Okanga Huata MC

Te Okanga Huata was born at Wairoa on 19th July 1922, although he gave his birth date as June 1920 when he joined the army in October 1939, aged only 17 but pretending to be 19.

He attended the Frasertown School and Gisborne Boys High, where he was a tough and aggressive footballer, as were his brothers Dick and the Reverend Wi Huata.

Aussie was one of those young officers who had been commissioned in NZ, but reverted to the rank of Sergeant when shipped overseas. However his decisive manner and genuine leadership qualities quickly impressed his superior officers and he was returned to the rank of 2nd Lieutenant and posted to 'D' Company of the Battalion.

Though he was sometimes over enthusiastic and even reckless on military occasions, increasing experience and responsibility soon served to curb his natural impetuosity and he was repeatedly promoted as the Maori Battalion advanced westward from Egypt, then up through Italy.

When WWII finished and 'J' Force was formed to help maintain peace in occupied Japan, Aussie was appointed 2IC of 'D' Squadron, the Maori component of the Divisional Cavalry Regiment of the NZ Army, where he served until Sept 1947.

After his eight years in the Army, Aussie entered the Wellington Teachers College and subsequently returned to Frasertown to teach at his old school. He then became involved in the promotional and managerial side of various tribal and national enterprises. This became a full-time job until he died in 1989.

A much longer biography is HERE.

Recording

This song was recorded and made popular in 1988 by the Hawkes Bay singing group, the Black Katz, which included Ngatai Huata, the niece of Te Okanga Huata. It was sung to honour the whole 28th Maori Battalion.

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Webpage put onto folksong.org.nz website July 2018, revised May 2023.

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