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.
