'E pā tō hau', a very famous waiata tangi, or lament, was probably written by Rangiamoa of Ngāti Apakura, one of the tribes of Waikato. Ngāti Apakura used to live at Rangiaowhia, an undefended settlement near Te Awamutu. The tribe did not take part in the Waikato war, but Rangiaowhia was attacked by British troops, and after the 1864 battle of Ōrākau its occupants were forced from their homes. Later their lands were confiscated. A section of Ngāti Apakura travelled towards Taupō. Rangiamoa's cousin Te Wano paused to gaze upon his former home from the promontory of Titiraupenga. He died there and was buried in a cave. In lamenting the death of her cousin, Rangiamoa was mourning the fate of all her people. Listen to 'E pā tō hau' .
Transcript
E pā tō hau he wini raro,
He hōmai aroha
Kia tangi atu au i konei;
He aroha ki te iwi
Ka momotu ki tawhiti ki PaerauKo wai e kite atu?
Kei whea aku hoa i mua rā,
I te tōnuitanga?
Ka haramai tēnei ka tauwehe,
Ka raungaiti au, e.Auē ki ngā pū e kō nei, kia tū, nō reira kāwana, kōrua ko tō hoa wahine me tā tātou tamaiti me raukau, tēnā kōrua, tēnā kōrua, tēnā tātou katoa.
Greetings to your excellencies and to you Raukawa.
Using this item
Private collection
by Emily Tutaki
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