Mōteatea | Manu tiria
Manu tiria
Manu tiria, manu werohia
Ki te poho o Te Rāka
Ka tau rērere
Ka tau mai i te ruhi
E tau e koia
Koia, koia
Ko tārarauriki
Kī mai i Māui
Ehara i te whitu, me te waru e
E tau e koia, koia!
Manu tiria
Digging bird, planting bird
Within the chest of Te Rāka (Māui’s father)
Landing after a long flight
Exhausted, resting prior to digging
Dig, dig
Here the first shoots
From Māui
Not (to plant) in the seventh or eighth months (Nov/Dec)
Settle, dig!
Manu tiria
Manu tiria, manu werohia
Ki te poho o Te Rāka
Ka tau rērere
Ka tau mai i te ruhi
E tau e koia
Koia, koia
Ko tārarauriki
Kī mai i Māui
Ehara i te whitu, me te waru e
E tau e koia, koia!
Manu tiria
Digging bird, planting bird
Within the chest of Te Rāka (Māui’s father)
Landing after a long flight
Exhausted, resting prior to digging
Dig, dig
Here the first shoots
From Māui
Not (to plant) in the seventh or eighth months (Nov/Dec)
Settle, dig!