Mai i te Kore

ki te Pō

ki te whai-ao

ki te ao Marama

tihei mauri ora

 

I whakawhiti i te Moana nui a Kiwa 

mai i Hawaiki

 

We settled amongst ngahere 

and awa 

maunga and moana

ka ora te whenua

ka ora te tangata

 

We are kete

the interweaving of

people and land

tangata whenua

bound together by whakapapa

 

SO, WHO ARE YOU!?

 

To force us off this land

to make all these demands 

and continue to expand

 

KO WAI KOE!?

To connive and deceive

pacify the savages

your ultimate plan

 

NO MORE! 

This is the time of Tūmatauenga

 

PAKANGA! 

We refuse your greed

your need for ownership and power

your foreign creed

you are the guest who does not understand

and so, we will war.

 

Pray that your God is with you 

as our haka shakes the land

pray that your God is with you 

our rage you will experience firsthand.

 

We fought in the forests of Tānemahuta

on the hills and fields of Papatūānuku

but against musket and cannon, fire and smoke

the future looked bleak.

 

When the smoke cleared

our vision turned grey

distorted and confused

ka whawhai tonu mātou

still we refused.

 

As the days turned sour

ngā Pākehā did not relent

wave upon wave, their ships crashed into the bay

guns on shoulder, swords on hip they marched on into the fray

the suffering of our people, our Rangatira could bear no longer.

 

We laid down our arms, humble in defeat

and you clasped your hands and licked your lips

wondering what profits, you will reap.

 

What plans did you compile? 

you forced us into exile.

 

We became refugees amongst our kin, our head hung low

still you continued with the killing blow

we never owned land as a commodity

but you took it as your colonial right.

 

We disputed and protested it was hard for us to understand

so, came about the creation of the court that was “native” to this land

you made it hard for us to resettle.

 

You made laws to subjugate, alienate and obliterate our way of life

and although it was difficult for us to comprehend through our brown eyes

we have learned.

 

We have taken action, even though you protest

Te Whiti and Tohu, Rua Kenana

we have risen again.

 

With education and knowledge we will commence a second war

not of musket and cannon

of fire and smoke

but of debates and challenges

of tika and pono

 

He manu kai i te miro 

 

nōna te ngahere

 

he manu kai i te mātauranga

 

nōna te ao

 

We are the land

we are the people.