New Zealand Verse/The March of Te Rauparaha
LXXIX.
The March of Te Rauparaha.
Rauparaha’s war chant,
Rauparaha’s fame-song,
Rauparaha’s story
Told on the harp-strings,
Pakeha harp-chords
Tuned by the stranger.
Rauparaha’s fame-song,
Rauparaha’s story
Told on the harp-strings,
Pakeha harp-chords
Tuned by the stranger.
*****
Moan the waves,
Moan the waves,
Moan the waves as they wash Tainui,
Moan the waves of dark Kawhia,
Moan the winds as they sweep the gorges,
Wafting the sad laments and wailings
Of the spirits that haunt the mountains—
Warrior souls, whose skeletons slumber
Down in the caverns, lonely and dreary,
Under the feet of the fierce volcano,
Under the slopes of the Awaroa!
Moan the winds,
Moan the winds,
Moan the winds, and waves, and waters,
Moan they over the ages vanished,
Moan they over the tombs of heroes,
Moan they over the mighty chieftains
Sprung from giants of far Hawaiki!
Moan they over the bones of Raka,
Moan they over the Rangatira
Toa, who founded the Ngatitoa!
Moan they over Wera Wera,
Sire of him,
Sire of him,
Sire of him they called Te Rauparaha!
Echoes of the craggy reeks,
Echoes of the rocky peaks,
Echoes of the gloomy caves,
Echoes of the moaning waves,
Echoes of the gorges deep,
Echoes of the winds that sweep
O’er Pirongia’s summit steep,
Chant the Rangatira’s praise,
Chant it in a thousand lays,
Chant the Rangatira’s fame,
Chant the Rangatira’s name,
Te Rauparaha, Te Rauparaha!
Moan the waves,
Moan the waves as they wash Tainui,
Moan the waves of dark Kawhia,
Moan the winds as they sweep the gorges,
Wafting the sad laments and wailings
Of the spirits that haunt the mountains—
Warrior souls, whose skeletons slumber
Down in the caverns, lonely and dreary,
Under the feet of the fierce volcano,
Under the slopes of the Awaroa!
Moan the winds,
Moan the winds,
Moan the winds, and waves, and waters,
Moan they over the ages vanished,
Moan they over the tombs of heroes,
Moan they over the mighty chieftains
Sprung from giants of far Hawaiki!
Moan they over the bones of Raka,
Moan they over the Rangatira
Toa, who founded the Ngatitoa!
Moan they over Wera Wera,
Sire of him,
Sire of him,
Sire of him they called Te Rauparaha!
Echoes of the craggy reeks,
Echoes of the rocky peaks,
Echoes of the gloomy caves,
Echoes of the moaning waves,
Echoes of the gorges deep,
Echoes of the winds that sweep
O’er Pirongia’s summit steep,
Chant the Rangatira’s praise,
Chant it in a thousand lays,
Chant the Rangatira’s fame,
Chant the Rangatira’s name,
Te Rauparaha, Te Rauparaha!
Sound his praises far and near,
For his spirit still is here
Flying through the gusty shocks,
When the sea-ghosts climb the rocks
Clad in foam shrouds, thick and pale,
Woven by the howling gale
In the ocean’s monster loom!
Warp of green and weft of gloom
Woven into sheets of white
By the wizards of the night;
Chant his name each ocean sprite,
Te Rauparaha, Te Rauparaha!
For his spirit still is here
Flying through the gusty shocks,
When the sea-ghosts climb the rocks
Clad in foam shrouds, thick and pale,
Woven by the howling gale
In the ocean’s monster loom!
Warp of green and weft of gloom
Woven into sheets of white
By the wizards of the night;
Chant his name each ocean sprite,
Te Rauparaha, Te Rauparaha!
*****
“The sea rushed up with plunging shocks,
Kapai! Rauparaha!
To claim the land and beat the rocks,
Kapai! Rauparaha!
The rocks stood firm and broke the waves;
So stood the Ngatitoa braves—
Ngatitoa’s foes are slaves,
Kapai! Rauparaha!
Kapai! Rauparaha!
To claim the land and beat the rocks,
Kapai! Rauparaha!
The rocks stood firm and broke the waves;
So stood the Ngatitoa braves—
Ngatitoa’s foes are slaves,
Kapai! Rauparaha!
“The stars came out to match the sun,
Kapai! Rauparaha!
To claim the crown that he had won,
Kapai! Rauparaha!
The sun shot forth its brightest rays,
And quenched the stars in fiery blaze;
Then chant the Ngatitoa’s praise,
Kapai! Rauparaha!
Kapai! Rauparaha!
To claim the crown that he had won,
Kapai! Rauparaha!
The sun shot forth its brightest rays,
And quenched the stars in fiery blaze;
Then chant the Ngatitoa’s praise,
Kapai! Rauparaha!
“The Tuis came the Hawk to kill,
Kapai! Rauparaha!
And yet the Hawk is living still,
Kapai! Rauparaha!
The Hawk can soar, the Hawk can fight—
The Tuis tried to stay his flight—
The Hawk shall have a feast to-night,
Kapai! Rauparaha!
Kapai! Rauparaha!
And yet the Hawk is living still,
Kapai! Rauparaha!
The Hawk can soar, the Hawk can fight—
The Tuis tried to stay his flight—
The Hawk shall have a feast to-night,
Kapai! Rauparaha!
*****
“Slaves should have but little words,
Kapai! Rauparaha!
Little songs for little birds,
Kapai! Rauparaha!
Little Tuis should not try
With their little wings to fly
Where the Hawk is perched on high,
Kapai! Rauparaha!”
Kapai! Rauparaha!
Little songs for little birds,
Kapai! Rauparaha!
Little Tuis should not try
With their little wings to fly
Where the Hawk is perched on high,
Kapai! Rauparaha!”