In the 19th
Century, when some Maori were forced from their
ancestral homelands, they chose death instead, as
expressed in Wharetiki's spiritual and intensely
emotional "Te Tai o Kawhia."
Many variants of these
waiata were sung all over the country, and published in
many books, with many translations,
some of them very badly done!
1815 - Wharetiki In about 1815, Wharetiki,
the teenage son of Pourewa, a Ngati Mahanga chief,
was drying flounder on Otururu beach at the head of
the Kawhia harbour. A group arriving from the Waipa
district captured him and headed back for
the Waipa (see map below),
using the young man to help carry the stolen fish.
At the top of the hill between Kawhia and the Waipa,
Wharetiki suddenly escaped and climbed a tree for
one last look at his home. His father, in hot
pursuit further down the hill, heard his son
farewelling his Edenic harbour home with this
chant....
Tērā ia te tai o Kāwhia:
Ka wehe koe i au, e.
He whakamaunga 1
atu nāku,
Te ao ka rere mai
Nā runga mai o Te Motu
2
E tū noa mai rā koe ki au, e.
Ka mihi mamao au e
Ki te iwi rā e.3
Ka pari e te tai,
Piki tū, piki rere,
Piki takina mai rā,
Te Kawau5
i Muriwhenua,4
E kawea e te tere.
Tēnā taku manu
he manu ka onga noa,6
Huna ki te whare
Te-Hau-o-Matariki.7
Mā te whare pō rutu,8
Mā te whare Ati-Awa,
E kautere mai rā,
Whaka-urupā taku aroha,
Nā.
There is
the tide of Kawhia:
I am leaving you, alas but
my spirit is still clinging to
the cloud drifting
above Te Motu island while
you remain there, detached from me.
From far away I pay tribute
to my people there.
The seawater flows in,
crests, spreads,
laments as it rises about
Te Kawea Rock at Muriwhenua Point; then
is taken away so quickly.
Here is my bird spirit
a bird heading for freedom translating
ka onga
concealed in the chamber
"The-Essence-of-Wellbeing."
By way of the abode of death-by-falling,
by way of the abode of Ati Awa my
spirit will float freely away, making
a resting place for my love.
Now!
...and Wharatini the bird leapt into space to become
one with his Ati Awa ancestors.
Notes
The teenaged
Wharetiki had spent his childhood with the incoming
tide, and with the flocks birds following it; full of
energy, going everywhere, finding food, in daily
contact with the elders - then so suddenly, all gone.
In his mind's eye, he was one of those esturine birds.
1.
Whaka-maunga does not mean become a mountain.
It is derived from the passive of the verb "mau," to
fix in place. Whaka-mau-nga "to become fixed in place,
to be attached, to cling."
2.
Te Motu - this low-lying tidal island near the mouth
of Kawhia harbour (see map below) had played a large
part in Wharetiki's life.
3.
The
migratory waka Tainui ended its journey
from Tahiti at Kawhia. Its captain, Hoturoa, and other
leaders were entombed nearby at Muriwhenu, literally
the "grieving-place."
4.
Muriwhenua
is the point guarding the south side of the entrance
to Kawhia harbour, even though 'muri' usually means
'north.' But the North Cape, Reinga, was where the
spirits of the dead departed, so 'muri' aquired the
meaning of 'grieving.'
5.
Te Kawau is a large rock where shags perch, near
Muriwhenua Point. It marks the entrance to an
underwater cavern where the honoured dead were
entombed.
6.
Taku manu ka onga - my bird heading for freedom. This
is poetry at its finest: Wharetiki is identifying
himself as an esturine bird, living at one with his
beloved tide that came in so full of life - then
suddenly went. Also see Ruia
Ruia, in which locals compare themselves to
godwits.
7.
Te-Hau-o-Matariki - 'the essence of wellbeing.' Hau
can refer to an unseen spirit as well as the wind, and
Matariki can refer to wellbeing as well as the
mid-winter star. This may have been the name of the
underground cavern in which dead leaders were
entombed.
8.
Wharetiki is chosing suicide over slavery and
slaughter. He is going to enter the abode of his dead
Te Ati Awa ancestors, and his spirit is going to float
freely to the cavern beneath Te Kawau rock to join
them.
1821 - Te Rauparaha In 1821, northern tribes drove
Te Rauparaha's Ngati Toa people right out of the
Kawhia district. Ngati Toa stealthily evacuated Te
Arawi Pa at midnight, with the very unwell Te
Rauparaha taken by canoe around Honipaka Point,
while his people walked overland (map). Wharetiki's
composition was modified (bold type) to commemorate
this retreat, and it became well-known south of
Tainui lands as "Nga Tai of Honipaka, composed (sic)
by Te Rauparaha."
Tera ia, nga tai o Honipaka,
ka wehe koe i au, e,
He whakamaunga atu, naku,
i te ao ka takawe,
Na runga mai, o te motu,
e tu noa mai ra koe, ki a au e i
Naku, koe i a waiho,
i taku whenua iti,
Te rokohanga, te taranga, i a taua,
Ka mihi, mamao au,
ki te iwi ra i a.
E pari e te tai, pikitu, pikirere,
Piki, takina mai ra,
te kawa i Muriwhenua.
O
tides of Honipaka,
I am leaving you, alas but my spiritis still clinging
to the cloud floating
Above the island while you remain there,
unheeding of me.
Although mine, you are being
abandoned,
my dear little land;
so random, the parting of you and me;
I pay tribute, from far away,
to my people there.
The seawater flows, crests, spreads,
rising with lament about
the bitternessof
lost battles at Muriwhenua.
Te kawea au,
te tere.
Tena taku manu,
He manu ka oma noa, Runa ki te whare,
te Hau o Matariki.
Ma te whare porutu,
Ma te rahi a ’Ti Awa,
e kautere mai ra, Ka urupa, taku aroha na-i-a
The
taken one I am,1
the refugee.
Here is my flock,
birds escaping2
free, after
beingheld captive3
at the dwelling
"The Wind of Midwinter."
From the dwelling splashed with water4
by the largess of Te Ati Awa,5 travelling
in company,6 buried
will be my sorrows.
Notes
1.
I am the taken one - Te Rauparaha was suffering from
an illness, and while others walked across the hills,
he was taken into exile in a canoe.
2.
Oma - with the change of one consonant from Onga,
Wharetiki's spirit bird has become the Ngati Toa
"flock of birds" escaping south.
3.
By changing Huna to Runa, the
place of concealment becomes a place of captivity.
4.
The dwelling chilled by winter winds and splashed with
water was Te Arawi Pa, built on this point of rock
jutting into the ocean outside Kawhia harbour.
The Ngati Toa people took refuge there and were then
besieged there by Waikato iwi. Honipaka Point is in
the background of the photo.
5.
Ngati Toa were able to head south towards friendly Te
Ati Awa territory in Taranaki.
6.
Kautere can mean to float about freely, or to travel
in company. Wharetiki's waiata uses the first meaning,
but the second meaning is intended here.
1832 - Te Wharepouri Musket-armed northerners
attacked Taranaki in 1822, so a leader of Te Ati Awa
there, Te Wharepouri, joined up with the trader
Dickie Barrett to obtain muskets for his own people
as well, and they set up a fortified trading station
on Ngamotu beach, now next to the port of New
Plymouth. Consequently, in 1832, when the northern
raiders attacked Taranaki again, 350 of them were
killed at the well-defended Ngamotu Pa, but Te
Wharepouri decided to move his Te Ati Awa people
south to the safety of the unihabited southern
Wairarapa, then Wellington, so the first line of Te
Rauparaha's version was changed to form "Te
Tai o Ngamotu," that was collected for
Grey's Nga Moteatea, as shown below.
The attack on
Ngamotu Pa 1832
Collected variants
1853
- Grey 1853, Nga
Moteatea
1856 - Shortland,
Traditions
1893- MCGREGOR,
Songs of Waikato
Tera ia, te tai o Ngamotu,
ka wehe koe i au, e,
He whakamaunga atu, naku,
i te ao ka takawe,
Na runga mai, o te motu,
e tu noa mai ra Koe, ki a au e i Naku, koe i a waiho,
i taku whenua iti,
Te rokohanga, te taranga i a taua
Ka mihi, mamao au,
ki te iwi ra i a.
E paria, e te tai,
pikitu, pikirere,
Piki, takina mai ra, te kawa i Muriwhenua.
Te kawea au, te tere:
tena taku manu,
He manu ka oma noa, Runa ki te whare,
te hau o Matariki.
Ma te whare porutu, u,
Ma te rahi, a ’Ti Awa,
e kautere mai ra, Ka urupa, taku aroha na-i-a
Terä ia ngä tai o Honi-paka,
Ka wehe koe i a au-e.
He whakamaunga atu näku,
Te ao ka rere mai
Nö runga mai o te motu
E tü noa mai rä koe ki au-e
Kia mihi mamao atu au,
Ki te iwi rä ia.
E pari, e te tai,
piki tü, piki rere,
Piki takina mai Te kawa i Muri-whenua
Te kawa i tü tere
Tenä taku manu
he manu ka onga noa
Huna ki te whare,
te Hau-o-Matariki
Mä te Whare-pörutu
Mä te rahi Äti-awa
E kau tere mai rä, Ka urupätaku
aroha.
Tai o Kawhia,
ka wehe koe i au, e
He whakamaunga atu näku te ao,
Ka takawe
nä runga mai o te motu,
E tü noa mai rä koe ki au, e, i.
Näku koi a waiho
i taku whenua,
I te rokohanga te taranga i a täua
E hine ka mihi mamao au,
Ki te iwi rä-i-a
E paria e te tai,
Piki tü, piki rere,
piki takina mai ra, Te kawa i muri-whenua,
te kawhea e te tere;
Tenä taku manu
he manu ka oma noa, Runä ki te whare,
te au o Matariki,
Mä te whare Pörutu,
mä te rahi Äti-awa,
E kau-tere mai rä, Ka urupä taku aroha, na, i.
1949 -
Kelly, Tainui
1959 - Hurinui,
King Potatau
2004 -
Maui
Mitchell,
History of Nelson
Tërä ia ngä tai o Käwhia,
Ka wehe koe i au, e.
He whakamaunga atu näku,
te ao ka rere mai
Nä runga mai o Te Motu
E tü noa mai rä koe ki au, e.
Ka mihi mamao au e,
Ki te iwi rä e.
Ka pari e te tai,
Piki tü, piki rere,
Piki takina mai rä,
Te Kawau i Muriwhenua,
E kawea e te tere (heke).
Tënä taku manu
he manu ka onga (taonga) noa,
Huna ki te whare
Te Hau-o-Matariki.
Mä te Whare-pörutu,
Mä te whare Äti-Awa,
E kau tere mai rä,
Whakaurupä taku aroha,
Nä.
Tera ia nga Tai o Honipaka,
Ka wehe koe i au, é
He whakamaunga atu naku
Te ao ka takawe
Na runga mai o Te Motu....
E ti noa mai ra koe ki au, é
Ka mihi mamao au, é,
Ki te iwi ra, é, Moe noa mai i te moenga roa.
Ka piki, e te tai;
Piki tii, piki rere;
Piki takina mai rd!
Te Kawau i Muriwhenua
E kawea e te tere!
Téna taku manu,
He manu ka onga noa; Runa ki te whare
Te hau o Matariki:
Ma te Whare porutu
Ma te Whare Ati Awa,
E kau-tere mai ra,
Whaka-urupa taku aroha
Tera ia nga tai o Honipaka
Ka wehe koe tau e;
He whakamaunga atu naku
Te au ka takawe
na runga mai o Te Motu
E tu noa mai ra koe ki au e
Naku ia na koe i waiho
i taku whenua
Te rokohanga te taranga i a taua
Ka mhi mamao au
ki te iwi ra ia, Moe noa mai i te moenga roa
Ka piki e te tai;
piki tu piki rere,
Piki takina mai ra
Te Kawau i Muriwhenua
E kawea au e te tere,
Tena taku manu,
he manu ka onga noa; Runa ki te whare,
te hau a Matariki.
Ma te Whare po rutu,
Ma te Whare Atiawa E kautere
mai ra,
Whakaurupa taku aroha,
na
There
is the coast of Honipaka
Thou art divided from me, alas!
The only tie that connects us
is the fleecy cloud drifting hither
over the summit of the island
that stands clearly in sight.
Let me send a sigh afar to the tribe,
where the tide is now flowing,
the leaping, racing, skipping tide. Oh! for the breeze, the land-breeze,
the stiff breeze.
That is my bird,
a bird that hearkens to the call
though concealed in the cage.
Oh for the wind of Matariki.
then will Te Whareporutu
and the great Ati-awa
sail swiftly hitherward.
So ends my song of love.
By Ngamotu's
shores there lives A friend from whom I'm severed.
The clouds that fly above me
Sweep o'er the sea girt isle
Where thou in solitude art left,
To bid me not forget thee.
From distant tribes I brought thee To a land stripped of its glory, And no longer peopled by the brave.
From distant lands I sigh,
And mourn they people's fate.
Flow tides!
fast flow! rise high
To sweep away the Tapu From Muriwhenua, And bear me on your waters
To the distant shore. But though I come not
A bird from hence has reached thee, Unbidden by me, it fled
To gather to the house of refuge The tribe of Matariki. Te Whareporutu defend thee.
And the tribes of Ti Awa conduct thee through the floods.
My love ends here,
I must lay it in the grave,
Oh! Ah! Oh!
There is the sea of Honi-paka,
Which now I leave for ever; But, oh! I still will gaze
At yonder cloud, now coming hither
O'er the isolated clump of trees.
O my own home! O me!
bid farewell to you, O tribe!
And still at distance bid farewell.
But flow on, O thou tide!
Flow upwards still, and flee
Thou upwards till death's baptism
Is felt at Muri-whenua— The baptism of travel-passing souls,
My bird that sings at early dawn
Will now be hid within the house; And glory of the Pleiades And power will all be lost; for
noble house will be not there.
Yet still my love shall ever be
For thee, my Ati-awa Tribe; Nor can it ever cease to be,
Nor find a tomb as doth the dead
1910 - Percy Smith, Taranaki
Coast
1930 - James Cowan, Legends
1949 - Kelly,
Tainui
There lie below the seas of
Honi-pakai
Parted from me now for ever.
My gaze in longing, lingering glance,
Follows the fleecy cloud that hither drifts
Across forest groves there scattered, Bringing, a message from my home.
Let me here bid sad farewell in parting,
To the loved ones of our tribe of ancient days.
Flow on, ye tides, in rising fleeting waves,
Flowing onward, drawing with them — Urged by breezes from far Muri-whenua
By death's decree and sacred ritual
My bird that sings at early dawn,
Now hidden in the house, Hau-o-Mata-riki. In future shall it be for Whare-porutu
And the might of Ati-Awa tribe
,To assist us with their many arms,
And thus my love shall cease.
Yonder are Kawhia’s waters;
alas, we are going away.
We leave Te Motu Pa;
we are going away.
We leave our land;
we shall grieve for it far away.
We leave the flowing waters,
the leaping tide,
the fast-speeding tide.
We are going away,
like seabirds flying,
seeking a home.”
There lies Kawhia’s tide;
separated from me.
I fix my eyes on the cloud driven
Over the island
standing unattainable there.
I greet from afar its people |
Overwhelmed by the tide
rising high, and swiftly,
Rising from Te Kawau, from Muri-whenua.
[While I] am taken by the travellers
My bird there,
entices in vain,
Confined to the house
by the wind of the Pleiades.
The house of ‘Porutu
and the house of ’Ati Awa
Swarming there,
will assuage my love.
1959 - Pei Hurinui, King
Potatau
2004 - Maui Mitchell, History
of Nelson
2005 - Mīria Pōmare, Te Ara website
O’er yonder flow the Tides of Honipaka
Now parted from me for ever.
In spirit, still to thee I cling.
Grieving o'er that world apart That lies outspread above Te Motu
My woeful fate unheeding.
O all ye tribes that sleep—
In the last long sleep—
A far-off tribute now I give.
The tides will still ebb and flow...
Flowing strongly, rising and leaping;
Until, o’erleaping
Te Kawau at Muriwhenua I'll see the waves rushing by. See there to my cherished bird, ‘Tis with grief distracted;
within the House of Mourning,
This gentle breeze of Summer Brings here the sound of wailing
O thou House of Mourning!
O thou House of Ati Awa!
Lament and let tears of sorrow flow,
Ye shall indeed be a sepulchre
For this, my song of sorrow.
Oh the water of Honipaka
That I must now forsake.
Though my spirit still clings
To that cloud
from Te Motu
Luring me to remain
But leave this cherished land I must
And ere this sudden parting
A fond greeting to those I leave behind
Who lie there in everlasting sleep.
The tides will ebb and flow
for evermore Lamenting
as they flow o'er
Te Kawau at Muriwhenua.
A fugitive fleeing trom home am |
Leaving there a cherished bird forever
Caged within the house this transient season.
Let the House of Mourning
Let the House of Atuwa
Lament and rain tears.
Thus ends my song of sorrow.
The tides of Honipaka,
I now depart.
My spirit still clings
To the cloud
Above Te Motu.
You stand apart from me.
I now leave my precious homeland
In this unexpected parting.
I bow in tribute to those who've
passed: Sleep on in that endless sleep
The tides rise, standing, flowing,
Rising. Carried away with this,
unrelenting
Te Kawau at Muriwhenua.
There is my bird, my cherished bird,
Held captive in this house, the imminent new year.
By the house of mourning,
By Te Ati Awa,
Travelling in company,
I shall bury all my sorrows.
