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Hauhauism: An Episode in the Maori Wars 1863-1866

APPENDIX III — Hauhau Chants. — TRANSLATIONS

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APPENDIX III
Hauhau Chants.
TRANSLATIONS.

Kill, one, two, three, four—Attention!
River, big river, long river, stone, big stone—
Attention!
Road, big road, long road, bush, big bush—
Attention!
Long bush, long stone, hill, big hill, long hill—
Attention!
Mountain, big mountain, long mountain, big
staff, long staff—Attention!
North, north-by-east, nor'-nor'-east, nor'-east by-
north, north-east, colony—Attention!
Come to tea, all the men, round the niu—
Attention;
Shem, rule the wind, too much wind, come to tea
—Attention!

Then followed the “Morning Song”:—

My Glorious Niu, have mercy on me!
My Glorious Niu, have mercy on me!
Have mercy, mercy!

The words “have mercy on me” in Maori are “mai merire”—this was a transliteration of the Latin “miserere mei” in the Roman Catholic prayers.1

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Then followed another portion, this part having obviously been inspired by the Church of England Prayer Book.

God the Father, have mercy upon us!
God the Father, have mercy upon us!
Mercy, mercy!
God the Son, have mercy upon us!
God the Son, have mercy upon us!
Mercy, mercy!
God the Holy Spirit, have mercy upon us!
God the Holy Spirit, have mercy upon us!
Mercy, mercy!

The Benediction was chanted while the people held up the right hand on a level with the head. It was single translation of “Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end,” and instead of “Amen,” “Rire, rire, hau!”

The Maori version of the chants is given in App. H. of R., 1865. E4.

1 William Williams: op. cit., Ch. XIX, p. 370: