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Story: Māori composers – ngā kaitito waiata

'Pō! Pō!'

Audio file

An oriori is a song for a young child which contains complex references to history and mythology. One of the best-known is  ‘Pō! Pō!’, which tells how the kūmara (sweet potato) was brought to New Zealand. It is thought to have been composed by Ēnoka Te Pakaru of Te Aitanga-ā-Māhaki. Listen to an extract, performed by the Waihīrere Māori Club.

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Te Ara - The Encyclopedia of New Zealand

Sound file from Ngā Taonga Sound and Vision – Radio New Zealand collection. Any re-use of this audio is a breach of copyright. To request a copy of the recording, contact Ngā Taonga Sound and Vision (New Zealand Polynesian Festival 1986 – Waihirere, Gisborne/Reference ID 40556)

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How to cite this page

Te Ahukaramū Charles Royal, Māori composers – ngā kaitito waiata – Traditional composers and compositions, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/music/44272/po-po (accessed 25 June 2026).

Story by Te Ahukaramū Charles Royal, published 21 February 2014.