He rerekē a Aotearoa, nā te mea e rua ōna ngaringari ā-motu – arā ko ‘God save the queen’ (kīngi rānei) me ‘E Ihowa Atua’. Ka haramai ana tētahi o ngā kāhui ariki o Ingarangi ka waiatatia ko ‘God save the queen’. Heoi ki ngā rā tūmatanui me ngā whakataetae hākinakina ki ētahi atu motu, ka waiatatia ko ‘E Ihowa Atua’. Nō te tekau tau atu i 1870 ka titoa e te kaipūrongo pāho me te kaitito nō Airani e Thomas Bracken ngā kupu, ā, ka titoa e te māhita nō Tāhimana e John Joseph Woods te rangi i tētahi whakataetae i te tau 1876. Nō te tau 1940 ka whakamanahia te waiata nei hei waiata ā-motu, ā, nō te tau 1977 ka whakamanahia hei ngaringari ā-motu. Ināianei ka waiatatia te ngaringari nei i roto i te reo Māori me te reo Pākehā. Ko te whiti Māori ka waiatatia i te tuatahi whai muri ko te whiti Pākehā. Ko Frankie Stevens me ngā kaiwaiata o te Tari Taiwhenua e waiata ana. Kei raro iho nei ngā kupu:

I te reo Māori:

E Ihowā Atua,
O ngā iwi mātou rā
Āta whakarangona;
Me aroha noa
Kia hua ko te pai;
Kia tau tō atawhai;
Manaakitia mai
Aotearoa.

Ōna mano tāngata
Kiri whero, kiri mā,
Iwi Māori; Pākehā,
Rūpeke katoa,
Nei ka tono ko ngā hē
Māu e whakaahu kē,
Kia ora mārire
Aotearoa.

Tōna mana kia tū!
Tōna kaha kia ū;
Tōna rongo hei pakū
Ki te ao katoa
Aua rawa ngā whawhai
Ngā tutū e tata mai;
Kia tupu nui ai
Aotearoa.

Waiho tona takiwā
Ko te ao mārama;
Kia whiti tōna rā
Taiāwhio noa.
Ko te hae me te ngangau
Meinga kia kore kau;
Waiho i te rongo mau
Aotearoa.

Tōna pai me toitū
Tika rawa, pono pū;
Tōna noho, tāna tū;
Iwi nō Ihowā.
Kaua mōna whakamā;
Kia hau te ingoa;
Kia tū hei tauira;
Aotearoa.

I te reo Ingarihi:

God of Nations at Thy feet,
In the bonds of love we meet,
Hear our voices, we entreat,
God defend our free land.
Guard Pacific's triple star
From the shafts of strife and war,
Make her praises heard afar,
God defend New Zealand.

Men of every creed and race,
Gather here before Thy face,
Asking Thee to bless this place,
God defend our free land.
From dissension, envy, hate,
And corruption guard our State,
Make our country good and great,
God defend New Zealand.

Peace, not war, shall be our boast,
But, should foes assail our coast,
Make us then a mighty host,
God defend our free land.
Lord of battles in Thy might,
Put our enemies to flight,
Let our cause be just and right,
God defend New Zealand.

Let our love for Thee increase,
May Thy blessings never cease,
Give us plenty, give us peace,
God defend our free land.
From dishonour and from shame,
Guard our country's spotless name,
Crown her with immortal fame,
God defend New Zealand.

May our mountains ever be
Freedom's ramparts on the sea,
Make us faithful unto Thee,
God defend our free land.
Guide her in the nation’s van,
Preaching love and truth to man,
Working out Thy glorious plan,
God defend New Zealand.