Tūhawaiki

Kaitito / Composer – Hana O’Regan
Rohe – Murihiku

Whakamārama / Explanation

He waiata tēnei mō tētahi rakatira rokonui o Kāi Tahu nō Murihiku, arā ko Tūhawaiki. I te taeka atu o te tira kawe i Te Tiriti ki tōna pā i Ruapuke i te marama o Mei i te tau 1840, hei tā Tūhawaiki ka whakaae ia ki te haina i te Tiriti mēnā i whakaae hoki rātou ki te haina i tāna ake Tiriti. I pērā a ia nā tōna mōhio pū kāore i whai wāhi tōna tino rakatirataka mō tōna moutere ake ki roto i kā kupu o te Tiriti a Hobson. Nā whai anō taku korero he whānui tōna titiro ki te ao marama! Waihoki, nāna i pana atu a Te Rauparaha mā i Te Rohe o Kāi Tahu i tōna wā. I titoa tēnei waiata mō te hui whakanui i a ia i te moutere o Ruapuke i te tau 1996.

This song is about a famous Kāi Tahu chief from the South, Tūhawaiki. When those responsible for taking the Treaty of Waitangi around for signing arrived at his Pā on Ruapuke in the month of May 1840, Tūhawaiki proclaimed that he would sign the Treaty if they agreed to sign his own treaty. He had prepared his own as he was aware that his sovereignty over his island was not guaranteed in Hobson’s treaty. It is for that reason that I talk about his foresight and ability to vision future horizons! He was also responsible for expelling Te Rauparaha and crew from the Kāi Tahu rohe in his time. This song was composed for his commemoration held on Ruapuke Island in the year 1996.

Ka tikaka whakamahi mō te waiata nei / Notes on appropriate usage of this waiata

He pai tēnei waiata hei waiata kīnaki i te wā o te pōwhiri. E hākai pū ana ki a rātou nō Murihiku, ā, he honoka hoki ki a Tūhawaiki.

This waiata is appropriate for formal pōwhiri as waiata kīnaki. It is especially relevant for those who descend from Murihiku and connected to Tūhawaiki; or to support a speaker from Murihiku.