NEW  ZEALAND
WAI*ATA
Purerehua

Dr. Hirini Melbourne
1975

Kiwi Songs - Maori Songs - Home

"I wrote this song for my daughter whom I hope         
one day will grow up to be a beautiful free butterfly."
 




Chorus
Pūrerehua rere runga hau
Papaki parihau, rere runga hau
(Ka piki, ka piki, runga rawa e
Papaki parihau rere runga hau.) x 2

Butterfly gliding on the wind.
Fluttering its wings, flying on the wind
(Up, up; way up high
Fluttering its wings flying on the wind) x 2

Ka tau, ka tau, unga puāwai
Ka whānau hua, a pūrerehua.
Ka tahi, ka rua, ka toru, ka wha
Ka rū, ka rē,
a puta e whā whē.

Chorus

Ka kai, ka kai, ka pau ngā rau
Ka huri ngā whē hei tūngoungou

Ka puta ki waho he ūpoko nui
He waewae roa, he parihau pakipaki
Ruru
-ruru, rere-rere, ruru-ruru; rē!


It lands, it lands on a flower
To lay its eggs, this butterfly.
One, two, three, four:
Shaking, quivering, four caterpillars appear.



They eat and eat, consuming all the leaves.
The caterpillars change into pupae.
Out pops a big head,
Some long legs, some fluttering wings,
Flitter-flutter, fly-fly,
flitter-flutter; see!


Chorus

Pūrerehua rere runga hau
Papaki parihau, rere runga hau
Rere runga hau, papaki parirau
Rere runga hau.
Pūrerehu--a
Rere runga hau
Pūrerehu---a


Butterfly gliding on the wind
Fluttering its wings, flowing on the wind
flying on the wind, fluttering its wings,
gliding on the wind.
Butterfly . . .
flowing on the wind
Butterfly . . .

Purerehua on record

Te Kururoa CD
Hirini Melbourne,
also featuring Kuini Beattie and Tama Renata

A collection of Hirini's most famous songs, as well as some great new material.
1. Nga Tamariki o te Kohu
2. Te Kopere
3. Tihore Mai te Rangi
4. Purea Nei
5. Mai i Te Kakano
6. Te Kihikihi te Tuturiwhati
7. Titiwai
8. Weta
9. Purerehua
10. Te Rere a te Tirairaka

Dr. Hirini Melbourne
Tūhoe, Kahungunu.
Composer, university dean.

Hirini Melbourne says he wrote this song for his daughter "...who I hope one day will grow up to be a beautiful free butterfly." (He was referring to her soul and spirit.) Professor Melbourne devoted his life to promoting Maori language, culture and music. He began writing songs and stories to fit with the urban experience of Maori of his generation . . .MORE

String-game origins

Pūrerehua was a simple "whai" or string-figure-making game for beginners. This waiata was sung while making it.

Pūrerehua
rere runga e
Papaki kau ana
Rere runga e
  butterfly
drifting on the wind
fluttering along all alone
flying on the wind

Whakaraka, Auckland Museum

Use a piece of fishing cord about 1.8 metres long and tie it in a loop.

1. Pick up one short section of the string loop on both thumbs without twisting it. Extend hands apart.

2. Now, using your little fingers, pick up the far thumb string on the fingernail side of the little fingers.

Then just spread your hands and figers apart to tighten the string (Position 1)

3. Use your right forefinger to move left and pick up the left palm string on the back of the forefinger. Tighten the strings.

4. The left forefinger then moves right, goes through the right forefinger noose, and picks up the right palm string.

5. Tighten the strings again.
6. Release the thumb strings. Tighten the other strings once more.

Here is your butterfly. Move your index fingers in and out to make it flutter.

Other Whai

Maori string games, whai, date back to pre-European times. They are similar to string games played around the world.

Whai was played by both male and female of all ages, although traditionally women were the more proficient.

Whai gave excellent training for the skills needed in activities like weaving, net-making, and thatching.

Waiata (or karakia) were sung (or chanted) to make it easier to remember the pattern-making sequences.

It is said that whai was passed down by Maui. Whai patterns often represented figures from mythology, and so they acted as aids for remembering and illustrating mythological stories.

More Maori string games are described, very clearly and well, in Chapter 8 of Alan Armstrong, "Maori Games and Hakas," AH & AW Reed, (1964). This old book is a real taonga. I found it in the Whanganui District library stackroom. Try your local library, or the National Library in Wellington could photocopy a few pages for you, or you could get it on interloan.

More international string games for kids are at Busy Bee

Bullroarer

Pūrerehua (or purorohu) is also the name given to pointed oval blades attached to a cord, which was swung around the head, making a haunting call. Similar to the smaller toy "bull-roarers" of English children, these were not toys.

Pūrerehua is one example of taonga puoru, the mystical sounding wind instruments of the old Maori people. The emotions of love, passion and grief are woven together in taonga puoru: the sound of the breath of wind is also the sound of the breath of life.

Traditionally pūrerehua were made of hard wood like matai, or whale bone, or of pounamu stone. The plaited cord was made of muka. It whirring roar warned hearers -

Kia hiwara
kia mataara
kia tupato
      Be alert
be prepared
be careful

Kiwi Songs - Maori Songs - Home

Page published on web Sept 1st 2002.
Modified for narrow screens Dec 2021 
   Lyrics corrected  (thanks Rory) Sept 2023