Ka noho au i konei

Composer

Pēwhairangi, Te Kumeroa Ngoingoi (Ngoi)

Ngoi Pēwhairangi

1921 – 1985

Born Te Kumeroa Ngoingoi Ngawai on 29 December 1921 at Tokomaru Bay on the East Coast of the North Island, she was known affectionately as Ngoi. Ngoi was the eldest of five children of Hori Ngawai of Te Whanau-a-Ruataupare of Ngāti Porou of Tokomaru Bay, and his wife, Wikitoria Te Karu, of Ngāti Koi in the Hauraki region. Ngoi was raised in the Ringatu faith by her relatives Huka Pohaera and Raiha Kamau at Waiparapara. Her father, who worked as a labourer, was a minister of this church and an advocate of the Kotahitanga movement, which Ngoi herself later supported.

Read more

Songs by this composer

  • Ko au

             Ko au he manu
             Ka tū ka rere mai

             He tau, he tau nā
             Ka hoki mai anō

    5       Ki te āwhina auē
             Ngā taonga aroha
             Hei...

    more

  • E tū tautoko noa

             E tū tautoko noa
             Ngā tumanako e
             A te ngākau māhaki
             Te hautū ake nei

    5       Kua honohia nei e
             Tātou i tēnei rā
             I...

    more

  • Hei konei rā

             Hei konei rā
             Ka hoki au
             Ki te kāinga e
             Tēra te wā
    5       Ka kite anō
             Tātou i a tātou katoa
             Nā te aroha
             I...

    more
Te Ipukarea

Ka noho au i konei

  • Composer: Ngoi Pēwhairangi,
  • Year: 1980 -
  • Genre: Waiata-ā-ringa
  • Ref#: PEW001

Lyrics

         Auē! Ngā iwi e
         Ka noho au i konei ka whakaaro noa
         Me pēhea rā te huri a te ao katoa?
         Ngā rongo kino e tukituki nei i te takiwā
5       Ngā whakawai e hau nei i ngā tamariki
         Kua kore noa he ture hei arataki
         Te mana, te ihi ka takahia mai
         Kia kaha tātou ki te whakahoki mai
         Te mauri ora me te wairua
10     Auē! Ngā iwi e!

         Tāpaea ngā hē katoa ki runga rawa
         Kei a ia te ora me te mārama
         Kapohia te aroha nui o te ariki
         Māna e kaupare rā ngā kino katoa
15     Whītiki, maranga mai, horahia rā
         Ngā kupu hei oranga ā-tinana e
         Kia noho ai i raro i te maru e
         Te rangimārie me te rongo pai
         Auē! Me te aroha
20     Te rangimārie me te rongo pai
         Auē! Ngā iwi e!
         Puritia tō mana Māori Motuhake
         Auē! Auē! Auē! Hā!

Explanation

This waiata-ā-ringa was composed at Ngoi’s home when, after a long day working in her garden, Ngoi took shelter under a tree and watched her son Terewai, and her mokopuna Gina come home. She looked at her family and contemplated what the future would hold for them and how the world was changing dramatically around her. This song has also become popular in Māori communities because of the significant message it sends to Māori.

Tāmata Toiere would like to thank the Pēwhairangi Whānau Trust for their permission to share this waiata.The audio for this waiata was recorded by Ngoi's family at Pākirikiri marae, Tokomaru Bay originally for the CD which accompanies the biography on Ngoi. The waiata was mixed and edited at Mauria Mai Productions by Chub Renata.