Mā wai e hua nei?

Kaitito / Composer – Hana O’Regan
Rohe – Kāi Tahu whānui

Whakamārama / Explanation

He waiata tēnei hai maumaharataka mō kā tini kaumātua o Kāi Tahu i whakariaka koi ki kā tohetohe mō te Kerēme o Kāi Tahu i ō rātou nā wā. He kupu whakaohiti hoki ki a tātou o ēnei wā, kia kauraka e warea e te pōhēhē, i tūpono noa tātou ki kā hua o te Kerēme o Kāi Tahu, ehara! Nā tērā huka kua riro ki te pō, me kā makorea o tautaia pakaka e ora tou ana ērā rawa i whakawhiwhi. I titoa tēnei hai kīnaki mō te kōrero a taku hākui mā te whānau mō te rā whakanui i tō mātou hākoro, i kīia nei ko “Tipene, ō Tau”, i Ōnuku i te 5 o kā rā o Kahuru 2007.

This is a song to commemorate the hundreds of elders who worked tirelessly in the fight for the Kāi Tahu Claim in their time. It it also a warning to the generations of our time, in case we may mistakenly think that we simply happened across all the resources we secured by way of the Claim. On the contrary! We have acquired them as a result of the efforts of those of who most have now passed away with the exception of a small group of survivors of the battle still with us today. This song was composed to support my mother’s speech on behalf of the whānau for the celebratory evening to recognise our father, called “Tipene, Your Years”, at Ōnuku on the 5th February 2007.

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

He waiata kīnaki tēnei hai tautoko i te kōrero a tētahi ahakoa he ōpaki, he ōkawa rānei te tū. He whānui te mahika o tēnei waiata, ā, e hākai ana ki kā tini kaupapa whakamaumahara ki ō tātou tīpuna me ā rātou mahi.

This waiata was composed as an informal waiata kinaki and can be for general usage whether that be in informal or formal contexts. Its application is broad, and is especially appropriate for any topic that pays respects to our ancestors and their accomplishments.