![Thumbnail: [No. 48 (September 1964) page 21]](/journals/teaohou/images/Mao48TeA/Mao48TeA021(t150).jpg)
He Tangi Mō Te Wano
A Lament For Te Wano
This famous song is published with acknowledgement to ‘Nga Moteatea’ part one, edited by Apirana Ngata and Pei Te Hurinui and published by the Polynesian Society. It appears in ‘Nga Moteatea’ as no. 71. The historical notes given on page 27 of this issue of ‘Te Ao Hou’ are also taken from this source, and the translation given here is based on the one in ‘Nga Moteatea’.
The song is published at the request of Mr Arapeta Hapuku of Wairoa. We would be glad to receive requests from other readers for songs which they would like to see published. We cannot promise to provide a translation in every case, since many songs have passages which are now hard to understand. But translations will be attempted wherever possible.
The music for this song is published on pages 25–7, and historical notes appear on page 27.
E pā tō hau he wini raro,
He hōmai aroha
Kia tangi atu au i konei;
He aroha ki te iwi
Ka momotu ki tawhiti ki Paerau.
Ko wai e kite atu,
Kei whea aku hoa i mua rā,
I te tōnuitanga?
Ka haramai tēnei ka tauwehe,
Ka raungaiti au, e.
E ua e te ua e tāheke
Koe i runga rā;
Ko au ki raro nei riringi ai
Te ua i aku kamo.
Moe mai, e Wano, i Tirau,
Te pae ki te whenua
I te wā tūtata ki te kāinga
Koua hurihia.
Tēnei mātou kei runga kei te
Toka ki Taupō,
Ka paea ki te one ki Waihi,
Ki taku matua nui,
Ki te whare kōiwi ki Tongariro
E moea iho nei.
Hoki mai e roto ki te puia
Nui, ki Tokaanu,
Ki te wai tuku kiri o te iwi
E aroha nei au, ī.
Wind from the north that blows upon me,
You awaken memories of sorrow
So that I mourn again my kin
Lost to me in the world of spirits.
Where are they now?
Where are those friends of former days
Who once lived in prosperity?
The time of separation has come,
Leaving me desolate.
Rain down, you skies,
From above,
While here below, tears
Rain from my eyes.
O Wano, sleep on at Tirau—
The mountain that hides
Our homeland, overwhelmed
By the enemy.
We are stranded here
By the rocky cliffs of Taupo,
The sands of Waihi,
With my great ancestor
Who sleeps now
In his grave on Tongariro.
My heart yearns for the famous springs
At Tokaanu,
The healing waters of my people,
For whom I weep.
