Title: Sir George Grey N.Z. Maori MS. 89

Author: Wiremu Marsh Te Rangikaheke

Editor: David Roy Simmons

Publication details: 1986, Auckland

Digital publication kindly authorised by: David Roy Simmons

Part of: The Moko Texts Collection

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Sir George Grey N.Z. Maori MS. 89

This incantation is called a diversion

This incantation is called a diversion.

Sitting,
alone,
looking around,
rewha on the nose
of Tutetawha,
wriggling around
like a limb of a lizard,
laughing at you.
Leave it to me
to make it come forth
on the chisel of Uetonga.

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Wait until let go
to your wife
your decorated skin.
Amazed and restless,
for me you are finely decorated.
Man who is being caressed,
to be carefully decorated.
Man who is not being caressed,
hold fast to this.
Strike with the mallet.
Rise up,
Tangaroa,
Rise up,
Tangaroa,
E he.

A first kawa,
serve the kawa.
The second,
serve the kawa.
To be left by you
to cross the nothingness.
There is the offence,
there is the source,
there is the mana,

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the going,
to the source here,
to the abyss,
to the vine,
to the root.

Where are you going,
basket of seed?
Going to what,
your basket of seed?
Go to the going of Tane,
your basket of seed.
Where is he coming from
Te kawa ritoro riinei?
Welcome puhipuhi manuka.
This is the boundary,
a descendant of the gods.
I am a descendant.

Te Rongorere,
coming from above
and man coming from below,
to and of the setting of the sun,
who went below e e i.
Spring up for the going of the sun.
Spring up.
Roll along, eh.
Spring up in the morning.
Roll along, eh.
Be struck.
Be struck
Roll along, eh.
Uetonga, Tama Reneti.
In this sacred morning
Roll along, eh,
like a board on shore.
Dream,
be taken
to the glinting sea.
Guide the loved one,
leave the untattooed,
leave the children,
leave the women,

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and go there to
the clouds floating over Raukawa.
My lament
takes flight.
Cry to divert yourself.
Not I,
it is Rongo,
it is Papa,
making a resting place
for you.