NEW  ZEALAND
WAIATA * WHAKAHAU		 Mihi mai ra
Rangi, Sonny Curtis
Lyrics, Tuini Ngawai
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An upbeat waiata whakahau used by visitors to entertain and thank
their hosts, usually in a concert setting. It is based on the tune of a
1961 Everly Brothers hit song.                                                     




Mihi mai rā aku rangatira e
Mihi mai ki runga rā
Kei te harakoa o te kaupapa e
Nga tāonga, nā tātou katoa.

Meatia tenei hei
tū whakapono e
Whakapaingia
te aroha, e aue!

Ka taunga te manawa
Piki rere tonu ake
Nā te rangimarie

Greet us my senior ones
Welcome us to this gathering
whose theme is the enjoyment of
the precious activities belonging to us all.

Do these things so that
this expected outcome will occur
there will be an increase of
love, oh yes!

May our hearts become accustomed
to being uplifted always
through goodwill.



The folk process has produced some improvements and mistakes in Tuini's
second and third verses over the past 50 years.



Rikihana gives alternative words for the second verse...



Meatia tenei hei
Tūhonohono e
Me te kaianga pai
Nā te aroha, e aue!



May it be said that here
we have gathered
to dwell together
for building love, oh yes!

...and several groups have further modified this in recent years.


Meinga1 tenei hei
Tūhonohono e
He tikanga pai
Nā te aroha, e aue!


May it be said that here
we gathered,
a good custom
for building love, oh yes!

Alternative words for the third verse have also appeared


Ka pāura te manawa
Whiti rere tonu ake2
Nā te rangimarie


Let your heart glow
Let it shine on high
through goodwill.

But now you hear at
Nelson . . .
Tawa . . .
Manakau . . .


Ka pōua? te manawa
Ka pawa? te manawa
Ka paoa? te manawa
Whiti rere tonu ake
Nā te rangimarie


Let your heart grow old?
Let your heart smoke?
Let your heart pound?
Let it shine on high
through goodwill

1 Meinga and Meatia are similar in meaning "cause, do, say"

2 Whiti rere tonu ake is from Arnold Reedy's love ditty Taumarumaru ko te ra.

? The Ka taunga line has been improved by the change to Ka pāura, but then
  people have mis-heard pāura and are now singing nonsense words.


Rangi and Chords

I want you to say why you walked out on me
I'm so lonesome every da-ay
I want you to know that since you walked out on me
Nothin' seems to be the same old way

Think about the love that burns
within my heart for you
The good times we had before you
went away, oh my!

Walk right back to me this minute
Bring your love to me, don't send it
I'm so lonesome every day.

G Mihi mai rā aku rangatira e
Mihi mai ki runga D rā
Kei te harakoa o te kaupapa e
He tāonga, nā tātou ka-G-toa.

Meinga tenei hei
Tūhonohono e
He tikanga pai
te aroha, C e E7 au-Am-e!

Ka pāura te manawa
G Whiti rere tonu ake
D Nā te D7 rangimari-G-e


This song is based on the 1961 song Walk Right Back, composed by Sonny Curtis and recorded by the Everly Brothers.


Mihi Mai Ra on Record

Te Runga Rawa, Chantes Maoris, CD,
recorded in

Darwin Aust 2000,
published Boulogne, France 2007.



Kiwi Songs - Maori songs - Search - Home

Published on folksong.org.nz in May 2007, updated Oct 2012