Composer

Kīngi Kiriona

Kingi Kiriona (Ngāti Ruanui, Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngāti Apa) has established himself as a prominent composer, orator and performing artist.  Kingi rose to fame while still at secondary school, winning both English and Māori sections of the National Manu Kōrero competition. His prowess in oratory and composition followed through to Tainui Regional and National Kapa Haka competitions, co-founding a new and innovative team, Te Iti Kahurangi in 2003. 

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Songs by this composer
Te Ipukarea

E Te Pouaka Whakaata Māori

  • Composer: Kīngi Kiriona,
  • Year: 2015
  • Genre: Haka - Haka Taparahi
  • Ref#: KIR008

Lyrics

               E Te Pouaka Whakaata Māori!

               Kāore koa taku hōhā
               Te kūhīhī nei i roto i ahau
​               Ka ngau ki taku puku, a haha!

​5             Kīia mai nei koe ko Whakaata Māori
               Engari huri kē ana, kua Pākehā kē ngā whakaaro
               Te atawhai nei ki te tūraki, ki te haehae
               Ki te patu i te Māori ki raro
​               Ki te pūranga paru, a haha!
​10           Hōhonu kakī, tē ngata te hiahia
               Auē taukuri e!

               Torona kei waho!  Kei waho kei te rau mamao, hi!

               Tahi ka riri, toru ka whā!

               Homai ō kupu mō Awanuiārangi
​15           Kia wetewetea!  Wetewetea!
               Ara tū, ara tē, ara tau!

               Tahi ka riri, toru ka whā!

               Homai ō kupu mō Te Kōhanga Reo
               Kia wetewetea!  Wetewetea!
​20           Ara tū, ara tē, ara tau!

               Tahi ka riri, toru ka whā!

               Homai ō kupu mō taku Kīngi, mō tana whānau
               Mō tana tama a Korotangi  kia wetewetea!
​               Wetewetea!  Ara tū, ara tē, ara tau hā!

​25           Kīia mai nei koe, nā tātou!
               Kīia mai nei koe, mā tātou!
               Kīia mai nei koe, mō tātou!
​               E hawa, e hawa!

               E Te Pouaka Whakaata Māori!

​30           Noho tonu koe i roto i te pouaka!
               He pouaka whakaata te pouaka!
​               He pouaka makariri te pouaka!
               Puta mai koe i te pouaka!

               Inā riwha kore, pouakatia!
​35           Inā riwha kore, taupokihia!
               Inā riwha kore, tāpukengia!
               Kia tupuria e te tupu hōu
               Hōu, hōu, hōu ake nei!

               Ara tū, ara tē, ara tau!
​40           Whakawetohia, hi!

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Māori Television!

My frustration is immense
Like a distorted TV, it hisses within me
And gnaws in the pits of my stomach, a haha!

Your name suggests that you represent Māori.  But your actions say otherwise.  Seemingly,
you are no better than Pākehā media
That seek to debunk and discredit Māori
By focussing more on the negative, a haha!
Your words are plenty, and your thirst for sensationalism unquenchable!  Ah me!

I reach for my remote;

And surf through the channels ...

Only to find your story on Awanuiārangi
Defaming Donna Grant, and her family;
Sensationalism at it’s best!

But what seemed bad, soon got worse ...

With your biased reports on Te Kōhanga Reo
Illustrated by your reluctance to produce a story
When the allegations against them were cleared

It wasn’t long before my patience was once again tested ...
Through your fascination with the negative 
exploits of the Māori king’s family
Namely, his son Korotangi. Where will it end?

It is said that you were made
By Māori, for Māori
To advance Māori!
Rubbish!

Māori Television!

Clearly, you’ve boxed yourselves in
To a world already dominated by mainstream
A world that is ruthless and cold!
I challenge you to step outside the box!

Should you fail to do so,
My advice would be to close the box
Seal the lid, and bury it!
Until such time as new thinking is adopted,
And your uniqueness as an indigenous Māori broadcaster is realised!
I rest my case!
Power off, hi!

Explanation

He kupu ueue, he kupu patou, he whakatara ki a Whakaata Māori kia mutu te whaiwhai i tā te Pākehā titiro ki ngā take Māori.  He whakatītina hoki kia kimihia mai te ara o te tikanga e Māori ai tāna noho, kia ea ai te kōrero ‘nā tātou, mā tātou, mō tātou’.