Rapua te mea ngaro A piece by Ruamano Te Koi dedicated to young urbanised Maaori moving away from home and committing to university life in the city
Rapua te mea ngaro Seek that which has been lost Noho-a-kiko, noho manene ana ki toona anoo whenua I am like a visitor, a tourist to my own country Teeraa Te Auahi-Nui-o-Taamaki, There she blows up, the big smoke E piirori ana I te uma o Ranginui The rolling thick smoke overcasting the chest of Ranginui
A piece by Ruamano Te Koi dedicated to young urbanised Maaori moving away f committing to university life in the city
Kei whea ngaa mata o ngaa ariki? Where are my ancestors in the sky? Teeraa aku hoa e rawakore ana I ngaa piriti Look at my people out on the streets E patipati noa nei, e unene a waha iho Begging for a bite or a cent Kei whea te oranga moo taku iwi Maaori? Where is the well-being for my people? Teeraa ia taku waha e memeha nei My mouth is dry
Kiihaia te rongo I taku mauri, kiihaia a rokiroki haumaru The spirit of my ancestors faded, I’m losing my sense of belonging Kei whea taku reo Maaori? Where is my language? Te kupu a taa Matutaera Matutaera once said He mea korikori e te iwi, kia ngaaueue ki ngaa whakawai a tauiwi Something that shook the nation, and awoken the rise of our ancestors within us Rapua te mea ngaro Seek that which has been lost
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