Adaptations of an
ancient poem
This waiata
is probably an ancient one, modified from an even older one, and new
meanings were given to its words in the 1800s
A Google
search locates it in many of the 19th century New Zealand documents
now on-line.
Poukawa
Rawhi-rawhi was a Waikato chief from Matamata who signed the Treaty
of Waitangi, so because of the "whare o Rawhirawhi" and the
"ki Tauwhare" lines, the song was attributed to a woman who
was passionately in love with him. But the song appears to be much older
than that. It was sung all over the country and the "ki Hukanui
e Moka" line refers to a mysterious, forgotten event.
1856 -
Edward Shortland. Traditions and Superstitions of the New Zealanders,
Chapter
IX
Shortland
omits Grey's suggestion of being directed to Poukawa. He simply lists
it as a waiata. "Waiata," he wrote, "are intended
to be sung by one or several voices in harmony, but without the aid
of any action. It is the song of love, or hatred, or grief.... In this,
the poetry of the New Zealanders, the verses do not form rhymes; but
each sentence is metrically arranged."
"In
this waiata the poetess coolly requests the wife of the person, for
whom she acknowledges an unlawful passion, not to be angry with her,
because the lawful wife always has possession of the person of her husband:
while hers is only an empty, platonic sort of love. This is rather a
favourite sentiment, and is not unfrequently introduced similarly into
love songs of this description."
1877 -
Carleton, Hugh. The Life of Henry Williams [Vol. II.] [Pages
51-100]
Carleton
tells the story of how a 17 year old farmhand, Maketu Wharetotara, killed
an entire British family in the Bay of Islands in 1842, and was hanged.
His father Ruhe went to Hone Heka and demanded vengance, not for Meketu's
death, but for the insulting method used. He recited a variant of "Kaore
te aroha mohukihuki ana." When Carleton was researching this incident
35 years later, his informants quoted the words of the passionate woman
version, but they said the meaning was different.
They claimed
Hukanui was where some great battle was fought and where a chief named
Moka was killed. The allusion to Maketu being killed would at once be
understood by Hone Heka. In the song, an appeal to avenge Moka's death
was being made to Kiri, a noted warrior of olden time, the position
in which Heke was now. Tauwhare was apparently a battle field, on which
Moka's death was avenged by Kiri. They said Rawhirawhi was either another
name for Kiri, or another warrior who had joined Kiri.
1889 -
John White, The Ancient History of the Maori, His Mythology and Traditions.
Awatea, Taranaki, Ngati Hau, Ngati Ruanui. Upoko
19
White simply
copies Grey's version of this waiata, but he places it in his book between
the stories of the first people to Taranaki and the first people who
went from Whanganui to Taupo. So presumeably he collected the waiata
from that area.
1896 -
Hui Maori, Speeches
to the Prime Miniater at his first Maori Hui, August 29, 1896.
This is
the waiata powhiri for the Prime Minister: -
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Kaore
te aroha mohukihuki ana
Te panga mai ki ahau,
Me he ahi e toro
Kei Ingarangi Te Kuini,
Tenei ka tata mai,
Kei tohu mai e Kui!
Kei te au ko te moe,
Kei te mata tu tonu,
I te roa ko te po,
Kai toro puku ai
te mahara i a au,
E kore ra e puakina
Kei rangona e te tini.
Te putanga ki waho ra
Me he tohu aku mata.
I nga rori ka takoto,
Kei Poneke ra ia,
Ko te ara tonu ia
I whanatu ai nga Mema,
Kia uru tomokia
te whare o te Pirimia.
Kei riri mai Kawana,
Mau ano te tinana o te Pire,
Maku te ata
o te tapara kau atu-e.
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Passion
has not always gnawed away
It came on me
like the fire that raged
in England when I met the Queen
This one is near me,
Guiding me, that old lady,
even in my sleep.
I lie awake
Through the long night,
For the thought to prey
on me in secret.
It shall never he confessed,
lest it be heard of by all.
The only evidence
shall he seen in my eyes.
On the road which extends
to Wellington:
That path
I trod to the Honourable Member
That I might enter
The house of the Premier
You may be angry with me, Governor
But for you there is the actual Bill
of Parliament.
For me there remains
only the shadow of desire.
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Other 19th century
waiata named "Kaore Te Aroha"
Himene
1847 - Kaore te aroha, ki te kororia tapu, e wawae ake ana, i te
ara kuiti.... More
A Te
Toenga - Kaore te aroha, E huri i roto ra, Tau kei Kapiti, E moea
atu nei,... More
Mo Puanake
- Kaore te aroha e tama i a au, Whakarongo ki roto ra me he tai e wawara
i... More...
And lots
of others, listed on this index page. Nga
Moteatea
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