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An Arawa Lament.

The Pathway of the Dead.

This chant was sung as a dirge by visitors from a distance, not by the tangata-whenua, the kinsfolk of the dead person:—

E rere e te ao
Ahu tonu mai uta,
E rere tonu mai
Runga tika tonu
Ki raro ra-e-
Ki te Aupouri,
Te Rerenga-Wairua.
Ko te ara tena-e-
I haere atu ai e
Aku kuru-pounamu.
Aku ipo kahurangi-e!
Naku i tuku atu
I te kaha o te mate-e!
Kaati ko te aroha
E kai nei i ahau-e.
He homai kia mihia
Nga mate tuatahi-e,
Nga mate tuarua.
Tenei matou-e
He hari aroha mai-i.
Ka hua te ngakau
E noho wairangi nei
E hoki ki te iti-e
Te riri a te atua.
Kaore i-a nei-e
He tikaro manawa;
Takirua te matenga-e
I te rangi kotahi.
Tena koutou-e
Arohatia nei
Te waihotanga iho-e
A nga kaumatua
A te iwi kua mate-e
E arohatia nei-e!

[Translation.]

Far o’er my head
The scud streams northward,
Swiftly it drifts to the distant land
Of the Au-pouri, the mournful land
Where spirits flit to the shades.
That is the path which has been traversed
By the noblest of my people,
By my fairest of loved ones;
I allowed them to depart
For their travails were great;
But the sadness of affection
Bites keenly within me.
Let me greet them awhile,
Those who died first,
Those who followed them;
Here we bring our sorrows.
Methought, as the ignorant would do.
That the useless only
Would stir the gods to anger;
Alas, it was not so!
Death tore the life-breath from the noblest.
Greetings to all with whom we sorrow,
The remnant left to mourn,
Those left behind by the elder ones,
The people whom we loved.