Temperance Songs
of the 1880s

These songs are taken from C. O. Davis's ‘Te Honae: Sacred and Blue Ribbon Songs’, published in 1885. At that time strong drink was a severe threat to the well-being of the Maori people.

Davis rhymed his verses, though rhyme was unknown in Maori poetry. He also used the metres of English poetry, setting the song to popular English tunes of the day.

Te Rawakore o te Waipiro

Air: ‘Mother Kissed Me In My Dream’
Taku rapu puta noa,
I nga riri motu, e!
Kia rere mai he hoa
Wehi tonu, a, tu ke—
Ae, i wehi, no te mea,
Kua titiro he ki au,
Kua tu—tu parahea,
Whakarorirori kau.
Aha! Aha!
Aha! Whakaturia au.

Kaha rawa tenei kai,
Ki te whakahinga noa,
I nga uri o te pai,
I nga uri takahoa;
Ha! te utu o te he,
Ko te mate, — mate kau;
E te hunga whanoke,
Whakamutua hoki tau.
Aha! aha!
Aha! Whakamutua tau.

He Manaaki mo te Wai

Air: ‘Home Sweet Home’
Ka haere i uta, ka haere i tai,
Kaore he taonga e tae ki te wai;
Te Pia, te Waina, te Waipiro noa,
He mate i roto, he pahoahoa.
Re! wai, wai, he wai,
Kaore he taonga e tae ki te wai.

Nga Tangata o te Karaipiture i whakahe ki te Waipiro

Air: ‘Pembroke’
Ko Hamahona, e pa ma,
Kaore kau i pai kia pa
Nga ngutu ki nga wai—
Wai kaha; waina, ngongi ke,
Kei whakatari i te he,
Kei ngohe ko te pai.

Ko Raniera hoki, e!
Kaore kau i rere ke,
I taua tu o mua—
Ko ta te kingi reo pu,
Mo aua wai; kihai i tu,
I taua kaumatua.

Ko Hoani Karere o
Te Ariki, i tu ano,
Hei tino whakahe;
Mo aua waina whakarau—
Aue! ka ata inu kau,
Nga mano aro ke!

Te roa ko te tau, i te ao, i te po,
Te rerenga kai, i te wa o te ko;
Te kahanga hoki, te ngohenga ai,
Kaore he taonga e tae ki te wai;
Re! wai, wai, he wai,
Kaore he taonga e tae ki te wai.