Wednesday 27 November 2019

Kotiro Maori e



Kōtiro Māori e, taku ripene pai
O makawe hoki nga ngaru ate tai
Ko te pare huia
He tohu rangatira e
Ko Rongomaiwahine
O Nukutaurua e.
Maori lass, my gay ribbon,
your hair is like the ripples of the tide
a topknot of huia feathers
an aristocratic symbol
Rongomaiwahine
of Nukutaurua.

Rongongia tō ataahua
E te whenua katoa
Tae atu te kohimuhimu
Ki a Kahungunu e
Ko wai te wahine e
Whakakapakapa te manawanui?
Ko Rongomaiwahine
O Nukutaurua e

Your beauty is known
throughout the land
then the whisper reaches
even to Kahungunu.
Who is the woman who
breaks so many hearts?
It is Rongomaiwahine
of Nukutaurua.

Piki ake, kake ake 1
Ki Te Mahia e
Ka kite tana hiahia
Aue Ko Rongomai e.
Haere mai e tama rukuhia
Nga pāua a Tangaroa nei
Ma Rongomaiwahine
O Nukutaurua e.

He travels up the coast
to Mahia peninsula
and sees his desire.
Oh yes! Oh Rongomai!
Come young man, dive
for the paua belonging to Tangaroa
as a gift for Rongomaiwahine
of Nukutaurua.

Nāhau rā Kahungunu
Tangata whakanene
Na te pāua

I raru ana koe Rongomai e
Maranga mai e hine
Ka haere tāua e
Ki Maramatea
O Nukutaurua e.

Kahungunu has the gift,
of being a trickster.
It was the paua
that defeated you Rongomai.
Come young lady
Let us two travel
to Maramatea
of Nukutaurua.

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