Lyrics

         Aue!  taukuri aku taumata kōrero
         Aue!  taukuri aku taumata kōrero

         Ka kai atu rā aku mata ki te mokopuna
         a te motu
5       Te mauri i pōtaea, Te Ata-i-rangi-kaahu
         Ki te tihi tapu e moe nei ngā rangatira
         Ki te wai tipua e rere nei

         Ka tau mai ai ki runga o Tūrangawaewae
         Tiro atu ki te huinga tangata
10     Ka kimi kau ake i ngā kākā waha nui,
         I ngā puna mātauranga o te ao tawhito
         Ka kimi, ka kimi tē kitea

         I roto i te ngahurutanga o ngā tau
         Pau puku ana rātou ki te pō
15     Papā te whatitiri,
         Hikohiko te uira
         Ka horo ngā tihi maunga
         Ka haruru te whenua
         Koinei rā ō rātou tohu i te haerenga
20     Mōwai ana te whenua e takoto nei
         Āe, e tātou mā, te mūrau a te tini
         Te wenerau a te mano
         E noho ana tātou i te raru, i te pani

         Nō reira, whītikiria te hope ki te maurea whiritoi
25     Nanaiore ki te aka matua
         Kia puritia te aho wānanga
         Hei kawe i te kura huna
         Hei kupu taurangi ki muri nei,
         'He kākano rangatira
30     E kore e ngaro'
        Hei!

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Alas!  o my mountains celebrated in legend!
Alas!  o my eloquent orators!

I turn my gaze to the descendant of all the
tribes of the country
To the one who was crowned, to Te Ata-i-rangi-kaahu
Also to the sacred mountain top where the
chiefs repose
To the charismatic waters flowing by

And then I come to rest on Tūrangawaewae
I look at the assembly of people
And seek out the eloquent speakers
Those with the knowledge of times gone
I seek and I seek but to no avail.

Within the last decade
They have all passed on
Thunder crashes
Lightning rents the air
And mountain tops crumble
The land shakes
Symbolising their departure
Now, the land lies silent.
Yes, indeed, we who are the envy of the
multitudes
We are as though lost and confused

So let us prepare ourselves well
Concentrate on the important issues
Keep a sense of proportion
Thereby perpetuating the intangible
elements of our culture
So it can truly be said,
'I am of the seed of chiefs
And will never be lost.'

Explanation

This action song was composed to honour Te Ata-i-rangi-kaahu and the people of Waikato.  It was first performed at the Coronation celebrations of 1982.