Waiata | Nei ra te kaupapa
Nei rā te kaupapa
Ko te reo Māori e
He taonga tuku iho
Nō ngā tīpuna
He pare kawakawa
He mea hirahira e
Tōku reo, tōku ohooho
Māpihi maurea
Whakakai mārihi
Kōrerotia te reo
I ngā wā katoa
Kia kore e rite ki te moa
Mana tangata
Mana motuhake
Tōku reo tōku ohooho
Māpihi maurea
Whakakai mārihi
My language is my awakening
It is the object of my affection
It is the wreath that adorns my head
My language, retention is my responsibility
It is of the greatest significance
Speak the language at all times
Not like the Moa (extinct)
It's our right and sovereignty
My language, retention is my responsibility
It is of the greatest significance
This waiata and its melody were composed in 1987 by Te Tāwhiro Maxwell and Te Okeroa Huriwaka of Te Whakatōhea. Its purpose was to awaken and inspire others to speak the Māori language at a time when many were disconnected. Inspiration was taken from Sir Tīmoti Kāretu’s proverb “Tōku reo tōku ohooho, tōku reo tōku māpihi maurea, tōku reo tōku whakakai mārihi. - My language is my awakening, my language is my precious treasure, my language is my prized adornment.”
As a statement of identity and mana, this waiata is appropriate to use when kaupapa align with upholding Te Reo Māori as the taonga it is.
Nei rā te kaupapa
Ko te reo Māori e
He taonga tuku iho
Nō ngā tīpuna
He pare kawakawa
He mea hirahira e
Tōku reo, tōku ohooho
Māpihi maurea
Whakakai mārihi
Kōrerotia te reo
I ngā wā katoa
Kia kore e rite ki te moa
Mana tangata
Mana motuhake
Tōku reo tōku ohooho
Māpihi maurea
Whakakai mārihi
My language is my awakening
It is the object of my affection
It is the wreath that adorns my head
My language, retention is my responsibility
It is of the greatest significance
Speak the language at all times
Not like the Moa (extinct)
It's our right and sovereignty
My language, retention is my responsibility
It is of the greatest significance
This waiata and its melody were composed in 1987 by Te Tāwhiro Maxwell and Te Okeroa Huriwaka of Te Whakatōhea. Its purpose was to awaken and inspire others to speak the Māori language at a time when many were disconnected. Inspiration was taken from Sir Tīmoti Kāretu’s proverb “Tōku reo tōku ohooho, tōku reo tōku māpihi maurea, tōku reo tōku whakakai mārihi. - My language is my awakening, my language is my precious treasure, my language is my prized adornment.”
As a statement of identity and mana, this waiata is appropriate to use when kaupapa align with upholding Te Reo Māori as the taonga it is.