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Ko Nga Moteatea, Me Nga Hakirara O Nga Maori

HE TANGI.*

page 273

HE TANGI.*

Tera te whetu,
Takina i Motururu,
Ko taku tau pea;
Tenei ka hoki mai, e;
Hoki mai ki a au kia kite iti iho koa koe,
Ki te taha whakarenga,
Kei o tuakana,
Hei hoko kahu waero moku ki te uru, e.
’A noho mai koe i runga te turuturu,
He ara hunahuna e kore nei e kitea.
E tama na Ruru, wetewete mai ra,
Taku komutu taramea,
No tua i te tonga,
Ma rau a Hinehore,
Ko’ e tipona mai.
Horahia mai taku taonga,
Kia rahiri au e,
Maku e whakakore,
Te uru o te atua.
Maku e whakakore;
Te ki mai o te waha.
Kei rangi whakaarahia mai;
Kia ara mai;
Me he aniwaniwa.

* This song was sung in January, 1849, at Ngahokowhitu on the Waipa, in the presence of a large number of chiefs who had assembled to meet the Governor for the purpose of putting an end to a war between the Ngatimahanga, and Ngatitahinga tribes. By this poem Te Wherowhero indicated that he would suppress the influence of his brother Tuwhatau, who was exciting his tribe (the Ngatimahanga) to war, by promising them a success which might not be realized.