| Pokarekare Ana |
Pokarekare ana
Nga wai o Rotorua
Whiti atu koe hine,
Marino ana e |
The waves are breaking
'Gainst the shores of Rotorua
My heart is aching
For your return, my love! |
Chorus:
E hine e,
Hoki mai ra
Ka mate ahau
I te aroha e |
O my beloved,
Come back to me
My heart is breaking
For the love of you |
E kore te aroha
E maroke i te ra
Makuku tonu
I aku roimata e |
The sun's hot sheen
Won't scorch my love
Being kept evergreen
By the falling of my tears |
Tuhituhi taku reta
Tuku atu taku riini
Kia kite to iwi
Raruraru ana e |
I have written you a letter
And enclosed with it my ring
If your folks should see it
Then the trouble will begin |
Whatiwhati taku pene
Kua pau aku pepa
Ko taku aroha
Mau tonu ana e |
My poor pen is broken
My paper is spent
But my love for you endures
And remains for ever more |
|
Ka Mate!
'Ka mate!' is one of the best known haka, made famous by the All Blacks. It is part of a longer chant by the famous warrior chief Te Rauparaha after he had been saved from his enemies by a chief named Te Wharerangi, who had hidden him in an underground storage pit, as a war party searched for him above. Once the danger had passed, Te Rauparaha climbed the ladder from the dark pit and chanted in exultation at his narrow escape. The translation is a very free one. |
Ka mate! Ka mate!
Ka ora! Ka ora!
Tenei te tangata puhuruhuru,
Nana nei i tiki mai
Whakawhiti te ra!
Aue upane! Aue kaupane!
Aue upane, kaupane,
Whiti te ra! |
First 'twas death,
But now 'tis life again,
Behold the brave man
Who saved me and
Caused the sun to shine again
I ascend to freedom,
Up and up
Into the light of day |
| Po Atarau (Now is the Hour) |
Po atarau
E moea iho nei
E haere ana
koe ki pamamao. |
Now is the hour
For me to say good-bye
Soon you'll be sailing
Far across the sea. |
Haere ra
Ka hoki mai ano
Ki te tau
E tangi atu nei |
While you're away
Kindly remember me
When you return
You'll find me waiting here. |
