NZFolkSong * Pokarekare Ana - translations

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NEW ZEALAND
FOLK * SONG

Pokarekare Ana
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Words and tune

Origins of Pokarekare

Many Maori Variants

Other Versions

1. English verses

There are many English translations of Pokarekare Ana. Sometimes they not literal. I have never heard anyone sing any of them; the original Maori lyrics are simple and easily remembered by English speakers. For brevity I give only the first verse here.

Literal translation: They are agitated
the waters of Waiapu,
cross over girl
'tis calm.

Oh girl
return (to me),
I could die
of love (for you).
Hemi Piripata 1926: Tho' waves at Waiapu
Were stormy and wild,
Calm they became
When you passed by

Maiden of mine,
Return once again,
my heart is yearning
For you my dear.
Tomoana family: The rippling waters of Waiapu
Break against its banks,
But subside into calmness
When you pass over my Love

Oh my Beloved,
Please come back to me,
For I will surely die
Of my love for you.
Sam Freedman: How placid are the ripples
Of restless Waiapu,
Dear they know of your returning,
From far across the sea.

Dear Heart of mine,
I'll wait for thee,
My love is thine alone,
to eternity.
Timoti Karetu: Agitated are the waters
of Lake Rotorua
But when you approach, my love
they become placid once more.
O my beloved
Return to me
For I am dying
From love for you.
Dag & Jandel: The waves are breaking
'Gainst the shores of Rotorua
My heart is aching
For your return, my love!
O my beloved
Come back to me
My heart is breaking
For the love of you.

2. Rolf Harris

Rolf Harris sang this in 1968.

E Hine E, Hoki Mai ra
Ka Mate A-U-I, Te-a-Ro-Ha E!

Oh hurry hurry home love
Hurry back to Rotorua
To the mountains and this valley
Oh hurry home to me.

I know, I know, you had to go
Please hurry back home love
I miss you so.

In my mind I hear you singing
And the echoes fill the valley
Cross the lake of troubled waters
To the mountains and the sky.

I know, I know you had to go
Please hurry back home love
I miss you so.

Po Kare Kare ana
Nga wai o Rotorua
Whiti atu koe hine marino ana e

e Hine e Hoki Mai ra
Ka Mate A-U-i Te-a-Ro-Ha E!
Oh I know you had to go.
Please hurry back home love
I miss you so.
Please hurry back home love
I miss you so.

3. Sailing Away

In the 1986 the tune of Pōkarekare Ana was used in a TV advertising song to promote the bid by Michael Fay, a New Zealand pirate capitalist, for the 1987 America's Cup challenge in Perth, Western Australia. One people on the water
One people on the land,
One people all together,
Kiwis working hand in hand.

Sailing away,
Sailing away,
New Zealand can do it,
Take it away.

Our pride is in New Zealand
And our pride is in the race,
We're together as one people,
In the challenge that we face.

lyrics written by Len Potts, Charlie Sutherland and Paul Katene.

The sentiments expressed in these adverts were of course quite bogus. The yacht campaign distracted new Zealanders while the pirate capitalists funding it were all busily asset-stripping the country. By mid-1987 the New Zealand economy had collapsed.

Recently those same men, Fay and Richwhite, who claimed their "pride is in new Zealand," bought and asset-stripped NZ Rail, nearly destoying our railway transport system. It is now being rebuilt by Toll Rail, at a cost of hundreds of millions of dollars in government aid.

Mike Moroney put it succinctly in his song C'mon Kiwi

And meanwhile back in Godzone
there's a farmer missed a payment on his loan,
So the bankers and the businessmen
come and cart off everything he owns,

Sailing away
Sailing away
New Zealand, we've sold it
Take it away.

4. In Korea

During the Korean War, NZ Army taught Pokarekare Ana to the Korean children. This is now sung with Korean words.

비바람이 치던 바다 잔잔해져 오면 오늘 그대 오시려나 저 바다 건너서	When the stormy beach becomes calm today, I wonder if you'll come across the sea
저 하늘에 반짝이는 별빛도 아름답지만 사랑스런 그대 눈은 더욱 아름다워라	Glittering in the sky the stars are beautiful; But your lovely eyes are more beautiful.
그대만을 기다리리 내사랑 영 히 기다리리	Only for you will I wait: My darling for ever I will wait.

5. From East Timor

sent by João Esperança in 2012.

"The song "Ha'u hakerek surat ida" has been around East Timor for decades. I think it became popular in Portuguese colonial times, maybe in the 60s.... The East Timorese author of the lyrics, Momô dos Mártires, died recently."

Hau hakarek surat id Hau haruka lori bá Keta hatudu ema ida Keta hatudu ó-nia mamá	I wrote a letter I had it sent Don't show it to anyone Don't show your mother
Fila fali mai Mai haksolok hau Se lae, hau mate Sé mak hadomi ó	Come back Come, make me happy If not, I will die Who will then love you?
Juramentu soko-laran Ó keta dehan sai Baku mate baku moris Ó keta dehan sai	The blood oath made in the long grass Don't tell anyone of it Even if they beat you Don't tell them about it
Fila fali mai Mai haksolok hau Se lae, hau mate Sé mak hadomi ó	Come back Come, make me happy If not, I will die Who will then love you?

6. In Norway

This was recorded by Norwegian singer Sissal in 1996

Pokarekare ana
Nga wai o Waipu

Er en gammel sang fra havet
Gjennom sangen synger du
Som en sol i Wanganui
smiler sommeren til meg.

På en reise over havet
fikk jeg tonene av deg.

Pokare 'ana, Pokare 'ana 'pu
Nga wai o, Nga wai o Waiapu

Du har gitt meg varme sanger,
jeg vil synge dem for deg.
Hvis du lengter ut mot havet
kan du kanskje høre meg.

Er en sommerdrøm fra havet
Gjennom drømmen lever du.

Pokarekare ana
Nga wai o Waiapu

It is an old song from the sea.
And through the song you sing,
like the sun in Wanganui,
the summer smiles at me.

As I went over the ocean
I received the notes from you.

Pokare 'ana, Pokare ' ana 'pu
Nga wai o, nga wai o Waiapu

You have given me warm songs,
I wish to sing them for you.
If you are yearning for the ocean,
you may be able to hear me.

On a summer's day at the ocean
You live in my dreams.

7. Gaelic Tune?

I asked some folk musicians this question: The tunes of almost all the Maori action songs from early last century seem to be adaptations of European or American parlour piano tunes. So do you have any guesses about which tune (1895-1912 ?) could have been modified to produce the melody of Pokarekare Ana? I received this reply from James McGee I do remember being surprised a few years back to hear an old man from Lewis sing a song in Gaelic to the same tune as Pokarekare Ana. He sang it as a slow air, much slower than we would be used to. The song was about the 1745 uprising, although it may have been written much later. My guess is that the old Gaelic singer borrowed the tune of Pokarekare Ana (It has been sung world wide for 75 years) and put the words of another song to it. But if anyone ever finds a 19 ^th century Gaelic music book with that that tune in it . . . !

However I recently contacted the Scottish group Capercaille. They kindly listened to the tune of Pokarekare Ana and said it was not like any Gaelic tune they knew.

However, in the 1970s, the tune of Pokarekare Ana was used in Ireland for a hymn to Mary, the mother of Jesus. The Irish would have heard Inia Te Wiata sing Pokarekare during the 1970 world tour of the NZ Theatre Trust Company. He had become famous as an opera singer in London during the 1960s. Play Mhuire Mháthair MP3

A Mhuire Mháthair,
Sé seo mo ghu í,
Go maire Íosa,
Go deo i'm chroí.

Ave Maria
Mo Ghrá Ave,
Is tusa mo Mháthair,
Is Máthair Dé.

O Mother Mary
This is my wish
That Jesus lives
Forever in my heart

Hail Mary
My love, hail
You are my Mother
And the Mother of God

8. The Earnslaw Steam Theme

Pokarekare Ana is heard as a portion of the Earnslaw Steam Theme by Ron Goodwin and the NZ Symphony Orchestra. The Earnslaw is an old steamship that does tourist trips on Lake Wakatipu.

Listen to this MP3 Earnslaw sound sample.

9. Thanks

Our sincerest thanks to all who have assisted in collecting this information.

I am especially grateful to the staff in the music section of the National Library of New Zealand for the huge effort they put into finding so many old documents.

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