Kia kaha ngā iwi

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.

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Songs by this composer
Te Ipukarea

Kia kaha ngā iwi

  • Composer: Ngoi Pēwhairangi,
  • Year: 1967
  • Genre: Waiata-ā-ringa
  • Ref#: PEW005

Lyrics

         Kia kaha ngā iwi pupuritia
         Ngā purapura i mahue mai rā
         Kua ngaro rātou mā ngā rangatira
         Hei mātorotoro mai i a tātou
5       Kāore he tirohanga kē e te iwi
         Ko ngā marae hei awhi mai
         Taku Māoritanga mana motuhake
         Hei pou tokomanawa
         He rau aroha nō tua whakarere
10     Nō aku tīpuna e
         Nō aku tīpuna e

         Tuakina mai rā ngā akoranga
         Hei mātauranga mō te rangatahi
         Oranga tinana i tēnei wā e
15     Ko ngā marae hei awhi mai
         I te mahanatanga o ngā whakaaro
         O aku mātua e
         Taku Māoritanga mana motuhake
         Nō aku tīpuna e
20     Nō aku tīpuna e

Explanation

This is a waiata-ā-ringa. It was composed in 1967 for the kapa haka, Te Hokowhitu-ā-Tū. Ngoi composed the waiata for Te Hokowhitu-ā-Tū to perform at the Tamararo Māori Kapa Haka Competition in Gisborne. The group won the waiata-ā-ringa section with this composition.