| NEW ZEALAND FOLK*SONG |
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| Usual English | Translation of the Mäori | |
|
Silent night, holy night
All is calm, all is bright Round yon Virgin Mother and child Holy infant so tender and mild Sleep in heavenly peace Sleep in heavenly peace Silent night holy night Shepherds quake at the sight Glory streams from heaven afar Heavenly hosts sing Alleluia Christ the Saviour is born Christ the Saviour is born. |
Märie te pö, tapu te pö
Marino, marama Ko te Whäea, me te Tama Tama tino, tapu rä Moe mai i te aio Moe mai i te aio. Märie te pö, tapu te pö Ka kite ngä hëpara Te koröria o te rangi Më ngä ahera Hareruia Kua whänau te tamaiti E Ihu te Karaiti |
Peaceful night, holy night,
calm, bright. See the mother and the baby boy the Son so holy there Sleeping peacefully Sleeping peacefully Peaceful night, holy night. Shepherds behold the glory in the sky and angels' 'Halleluiah.' The child that has been born is Jesus the Christ. |
Thanks to Toby Rikihana for these words.
In his book (Waiata Maori 1992) he says there are several Maori versions of this song.Peaceful night: Märie te pö - Pö märie - Hängü te pö (Silent night).
Heavenly hosts/angels: ähera - anahera - anahere
Don't pronounce it as "Mar-ree tay poe" !! but more like "Mar-ri-air tair pore."
In December 1943, the Maori Battalion were fighting at Orsogno, Italy. Richard Spence, in his biography of Padre Wi Huata, writes
"At Christmas Eve, just on midnight, the Maori struck up "Silent Night" in Maori. And the Germans replied in their language.
Hangu te po, tapu te po,
Marama tiaho mai
Ki te Whaea me te Tama,
Tama tapu ngakau marie,
Tou te rangimarie --
Tou te rangimarie.
Hangu te po, tapu te po,
Ka kite nga hepara.
Te kororia ki te rangi
mano waiata hareruia.
Ka whanau te Karaiti --
A Ihu te Ariki.Stille nacht, Heilige nacht,
Alles schläft, einsam wacht
Nur das traute, Hoch heilige Paar.
Hol der Knabe im lockigen Haar,
Schlafe in Himmlischler Ruh --
Schlafe in Himmlischler Ruh.
Stille nacht, Heilige nacht,
Hirten erst kundemacht
Durch der Engel Halleluja,
Tönt es laut von fern und nah;
Christ, der Retter, ist da --
Christ, der Retter, ist da.Here is another version, from the book Te Marae by Pat Tauroa.
Haungu te po
Tapu te po
Marino, marama
Ko te whaea
Me te tama
Tama tino tapu rawa
Moe mai i te marie
Moe mai i te marie