NZFS * Hīmene Katorika

NEW  ZEALAND
HĪM*ENE 		Hymns for Mass
Wilson family

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    We sing these during Mass at Ohakune  
      
I te tākiri tanga1 o te ata

ka rongo i to korowai aroha
kākahu tia2 i ahau.		 At the unfolding of the morning
i.e. “At the break of day”
I feel your cloak of love
being put on me and fastened.

1. "Tākiri tanga" can be interpreted in several ways depending on the context, but generally translates to "loosening" or "unfurling" in the context of people or a group of people, or it can refer to the "situation" or "circumstance" surrounding a group.

2. The dictionary says Tia can mean to stick in, to adorn, or to take a vigorous stroke in paddling. Here it seems to refer to fastening a cloak on by pushing a toggle through a loop.


Pō pō ka awatea3
Ka whiti te māramatanga
Tīaho4 iho mai
Kia puawai to aroha
I ruia nei e koe ki te ao.		 Pitch dark becomes broad daylight. 
Shining down is enlightenment as
rays of understanding from above.
May it blossom, the love
sown here by you in this world

3.  This is a shortened form of the old whakataukī "Ka pō, ka ao, ka awatea!" (It is dark, it is dawn, it is morning) referring to increasing mental enlightenment.

4. Whiti and Tiaho are verbs with similar meanings. Tiaho is to emit rays of light from somewhere, while Whiti infers the transference of light to somewhere.

Ko te tohu a te Ariki,
Ko te rīpeka, te huarahi,5
Te ara ki te whaiao,6
te ao mārama.7

Whaikororia kia lhoa,
Whakapono,
Tumanako,
me te Aroha e,

Maungarongo te whenua,
Whaikororia kia lhoa,
Whaikororia kia lhoa.
Ko te Tomo a te Matua
Ko te Ora me te Pono
Te Whaka o te Ora
Te Ao mārama
Whaikororia kia Ihoa.
 The sign of the Lord
is the crucifix. It is the way,
the path, to the dawning possession
of the world of spiritual understanding.

May glory be given to God
by way of our Faith,
Hope,
and Love.
Peace on the Earth,
Glory be to God,
Glory be to God.
The compact with the Father
is Life and Truth,
it is the Light of Life,
and the World of clearness
Glory be to God.

5.  Huarahi and Ara are nouns with similar meanings.  Huarahi can be a procedure as well as a road. Ara can be a line or layer as well as a path.

6. Whai (possession) Ao (dawning) —> Whaiao. This is a word usually coupled with Ao mārama. Ao can mean either dawn or the physical world, which can only seen by the individual after daybreak.

7. Marama (n) is the moon; Mārama (v) was originally to become revealed by the moonlight, and now refers to becoming mentally enlightened.


He hōnore, he korōria8
Maungārongo ki te whenua.
Whakaaro9 pai e
Ki ngā tangata katoa
Ake ake, ake ake.
Āmine
Te Atua te piringa,
Toku oranga.		 Honour, glory and
peace to the land.
May good thoughts come
to all men
for ever and evermore
Amen.
The Lord is my refuge
 and my life.

8. Thhe angel's words to the shepherds when Jesus was born;
"Kia whai kororia te Atua i runga rawa kia mau te rongo ki runga ki te whenua, me te whakaaro pai ki nga tangata."

"Glory to God in the highest, peace on earth, and good will toward men. (Luke 2:14)

 9. Whakaaro is usually pronounced 'whakāro,' but it is sung here as whakā-aro in order to fit the tune.

Webpage put onto folksong.org.nz website May 2025