HOKO MANU
(ANCESTRAL IDENTITY CHANT)
1. HOKO MANU
(ANCESTRAL IDENTITY CHANT)
He makupuna au o guri a anakena e
A tau rape mo hoa mo haka paira
A maunga eo ate pu makari e
Ai ka turu ro a runga ia puku puhi puhi e
Ka hoko mai ra koe I tou manu ena
Ki hoko atu au I to’oku manu nei
Ho’I e ka rao (pae) tahi mai korua
Ki te koro o kutu o te unahi renga
E mo hiki mo turu a runga ite honga’a e
Pua kai kai renga ai ka iri ro e ai ka turu ro
E mo turu mo topa a runga ite kauhanga e
Ho’I e a runga ite kauhanga o varu e
Aue e ite koro o kutu o te unahi renga
E hina e hina e hina kauhara e
Ka mimi mai ra tou mimi ena
Tou mimi mea mea e
ENGLISH
Traditionally, each Rapa Nui clan could recite
their ‘Hoko Manu’ to identify their birthrights
and family ancestry. This song, using modern
composition of the ancient text, incorporates
the Hoko Manu of both my grandmother and
grandfather’s lineage.
This song identifies my Rapa Nui heritage.
This is my ‘Hoko Manu’.
2. KA HA’I MAI KOE
(HOLD ME)
Ka ha’I mai koe ia aue
Ka ha’I mai koe ia au e
Ko topa ana te ra’a koe I tu’u mai ai
Ko topa ana te ra’a koe I tu’u mai ai
Kai ite ana au pehe tou mana’u ena
Kai ite ana ho’I au pehe tou mana’u ena
Ka va’ai tahi mai koe I tou mahatu ena
Ka va’ai tahi mai koe I tou mahatu ena
Kia aue kia aue
ENGLISH
Hold me, hold me
The sun had set when you arrived
I don’t know what you’re thinking
I really don’t know what you’re thinking
Give all your heart, give all your heart
ChorusTo me, to me
3. MARIA NGAO
(SONG FOR AUNTY MARIA)
Ka topa ka vari te ra’a a teuigahanga
Ko te ono ava’e o te noho inga ia tire e
Ko ngeo a te hakari ite pangaha’a rahi
Ote manu ta’e au e kai ora mai ena ia ia e
Oira ho’I
Ka hio hio mai koe e vovoe
Roa rahi koe tute nei aue
ite ora mau mo te ati ena e maruhi rahi nei koe
Pahe rahi ena o tou matavai
Te rahi ote manu I rere ai
Mo arata’I mai I tou ata e ka oho nei
Pahe rahi ena o tou matavai
Te rahi o te tiare I hua mai ai
Mo haka eo eo mai ia koe e
Ka oho nei ka reva nei e
Ho’I e ho’ie ho’ie
Ko mao a te hora ko o’o ana ki te tonga
E I runga I tu’u pepe era a ia I noho I ‘ui ai
He aha ra te ora e haka utu’a mai ena
Ka huri tou tangi ena a rote tokerau
Oira ho’i
E hauru nei au he ngaroa atu au
I tou reo e riu ena I haho ote hare e
E hokorua mai nei e haka pava tahi ena
I te kainga nei e ma’u riva riva ro matou
ia koe, I rote inaga e
ENGLISH
As the sun sets on the horizon
Her weary body feels the weight
Of this sickness which consumes her
Six months in Chile
Woman, keep strong
For this journey is long
To that cure which ends your pain
Where you’ll find your strength again
Chorus
For each tear you’ve cried
There’ll be a bird that flies
By your side to guide your spirit
For each tear you’ve cried
There’ll be a flower in bloom
To perfume you on your journey
As autumn stole the summer warmth
The theft of her own life she questioned
In that chair she sat which held no answers
The wind took her cries
(Pre-chorus & Chorus)
Sometimes when I sleep I hear you sing
A sweet voice bringing peace to this land
Reminding us your spirit lives
We hold you strongly in our hearts
4. KA TAU TE RA’A
(SUNRISE)
Me’e rahi no he matavai I paringi I oho ai
Mai te mata nehu nehu era o nua
Me’e rahi no te toto I tehe ai, te ati I tu’u mai ai
Te tangata I ngaro ai ki kainga ta’e reka e
Peira I kia hio ai I rote onge te hahau
Te ati te taipe e
Oira e, Ka mana’u mai koe ka tiaki mai koe
Ki a’amu atu au nei pehe
Raua I haka tere ai tatou I ora mai ena
Mo ma’u o’ou ite a’amu o te haka ara nei e
Ka tau te ra’a e mai rote moana I tomo ai
Te va’e ote tangata ke, he mauku I rote rima
no I ma’u ai
E tahi hanere ote tangata I toe ai, E ote nu’u
oho era / ote rangi no I ite I kona he I muraki ai
E ko hanga ana au, mo haka ite atu e
Ite a’amu nei, e te taure’a re’a e
Ka mana’u mai koe, ka tiaki mai koe
Ki a’amu atu au nei pehe, raua I haka tere ai
Tatou I ora mai ena, mo ma’u o’ou ite a’amu
ote haka ara nei e
Ka tau te ra’a e, mai rote moana I tomo ai te
va’e o te tangata ke, he mauku I rote rima no
i ma’u ai / E ka ma’u ra I tou re’o nei mo aro
arote tokerau, Ko maua ko maua e ririva
atu ena, ka rau ka piere ite ao nei e
ENGLISH
From tired eyes of grandmothers
Have fallen countless tears
Too much blood has spilt
From successive tragedies
Too many Rapanui disappeared
Into a heartless land
But still we survived
The misery and devastation
So wake up
Listen to how they survived
How we survived
Take with you the history of our people
Chorus
One sunrise they came from the blue
The feet of foreign man
For all that they stole
They held but grass in their hand
111 people left alive
Heaven knows where the others died
I want you the youth, to know
This history of freedom denied
(Pre-chorus & Chorus)
Raise your voice above the wind
So all the world can hear
The spirit of a culture too strong to die
Your message loud and clear
5. AUE
(I FEEL IT)
Ara mai ho’i au nei, e hauru ana ho’i koe
He noho au he mana’u, a te ara roa nei
ara roa rahi nei, e haka ngaro atu ena
aue ngaro’a nei aue
Kai ‘ui hia ho’i au, he aha ra koe e tangi nei
Na I roto ia koe te mana’u, e hihi hihi atu nei
E tama’I rahi atu nei, I tou haka tere ena
aue ngaro’a nei Aue
Oira, ka tea mai ra te maeha, mai te rangi e
Mo ma’u tahi tou tangi, kite ngaro e
Mo haka kore I tou mata vai, i tou ta’e au
Mai roto I tou hopo ena
Aue ngaroa nei aue aue aue i
E tano ro te mahana mau
mai rote rangi te merahi he veu mai
mo hono atu I tou ara e
ara roa rahi e pugaehu rahi nei
I tou haka tere ena, aue ngaroa nei
Aue I
ENGLISH
You’re still asleep when I wake
I sit and think about the world you’re in
And how it fades you away
I question the tears that blur your path
Your battle with this darkness
Which steals your light to shine
I feel it
Chorus
Let the heavens and their light
Brighten your pain
And dry your tears
Let it clear your soul
I feel it
The day will soon come
When an angel arrives
To show you a world
Where your light can shine
I feel it
6. NANUE PARA
(THANKS TO THE OCEAN)
Ko te tau o ite vaikava, e mahia mai nei
Ite mau mo te tangata, I te kai mo te ngapoki e
E raranga era e te nanue, e pura pura era I te ra’a
Ka ketu mai ra tou haka rava ena
Ki turu ro ai ki kau ro ai te tau re’a re’a e
ka noho ka mana’u rahi, e u’I koe I rote hokotahi
O mira mira ro o noho rahi ro
Tere te nanue para, mai rote vaikava, ki rapanui e
Tea tea mai te mahina, to te kainga, mo haka
reka tatou e/ Puhi no mai ra te tokerau, ki
rere rere au, I hanga roa reka nei
ENGLISH
Our beautiful ocean
Providing riches to men
And food for the children
Full of yellow Nanue fish
Sparkling in the sun
Bring us waves and we’ll swim in your waters
Take time to appreciate these gifts
So you don’t lose your way
Chorus
Flow Nanue Para from the ocean
to the people of Rapa Nui
Shine the moon on this land to help us celebrate
Blow the wind so I can fly over lively Hanga Roa
7. KO NGARO A
(IT’S LOST)
Ka puhi mai a nukura mea era mo haro te kara
ote manukena e kiru kiru era, i motu nui e
Ko ke’o ana te aito ra’e ate titi I oho ai e a te
opata e hiri hiri nei
Peira au I noho ai i u’I ai
Ite rahi mau ote a’amu e ngaro era/ Ki roa he
te ara nei ka tomo ena, e maere nei au
Ate ara ote onge no ho’I e
Ko ngaro a, ko ngaro a, te ono nei, te mau e
ko ngaro a
E vai hiva a anakena e
Tou hare haka hahau hia roa
He atua au, ko rapo rapo te rangi niuhi ere
Mo haka mataku atu e kau ho’I era/ Peira au
I noho ai I u’I ai Ite rahi mau ote a’amu e
ngaro era, ki roa he te ara nei ka tomo ena
e maere nei au, a te ara ote onge no ho’I e
ENGLISH
Blow Nukura Mea so the Manukena bird takes flight
For a brave competitor takes lead of the race
Over cliff edge, rushing down the rock face.
So many stories we’ve lost,
when I think of our past
Tell me to what end this road will take us?
To loss and ignorance
Chorus
t’s lost, It’s lost
Our riches are lost
(Song includes ancient text pertaining to th
bird-man competition, unable to be translated
as many of the meanings of ancient Rapa Nui
words have been lost in today’s language)
8. MANA ROA
(GREAT SPIRITUAL POWER)
Ka tangi te ariki o miru
Mo’ona ana au e tangi tangi nei
He maori he ariki au o Tuki Horo pari
Me’e haka ara ana mai to’oku tupuna ana
Ina korua ko ki ite ma’a ma’a o te Tuki
O te Tuki te tata atu ite hae
I mu’a I tu’a o korua
E moe nei au a te aro o te omotohi e
E maeha mai era
E u’I ana au a te ngo’e era I rangi roa e
E anapa mai era
E haka ngaro ata era, o to’oku koro era
He ra, a ara he koe I oho ai, e koro e
A te ara vai konana ko uta ko Rano Aroi
He ra, kia ai ra koe I ‘ui ai, e miru e (tuki e)
Ko paringi a te matavai o te makupuna e
O te hinarere e
Ka tau te ra’a e, I haho ana o te hare e noho nei
E tarai mai era, I te aringa ora o tatou ana e
te maori e/ Ka tangi te ariki a Hotu Matu’a
ho’I e
Rima mana roa era, o to’oku koro era
ENGLISH
(Song begins with a favourite ancient chant
(Riu) of my grandfather ‘Mana Roa’)
I lie under the bright moon
Looking to the stars as they shine
I see the soul of my grandfather
Chorus
Where, where did you go?
To the calm waters of Rano Aroi?
Did someone know you were leaving?
Tears fall from your grandchildren’s eyes
And from future generations
The sun rises as he carves the living face
Of us, the Maori people
We cry for you king, descendant of Hotu Matu’a
The blessed hands of my grandfather
9. MAI ROTE PO URI NEI
(IN THIS DARKNESS)
He tiaki atu au I te pini nei hokotahino pe
angataiahi e/ E tute atu nei pahe tatane
kiva kiva no a rote po kere kere ho’I e
E noho nei au I rote ao po uri nei, e kimi no
ana au I te ora/ E viri nei au, a rote vaha nei
ka va’ai mai koe I tou rima e
Mai rote po uri nei I tiaki atu ai e ai e ho’I e
Mai rote po uri nei I mana’u rahi ai e ai e
Kia koe e ehehe e vovo e ee
Kia koe e ehehe e uka e ee
He mana’u atu au I rote hokotahi I roto I te
takeo o te ao po uri nei, Me’e rahi te ava’e
o te hanga atu e kai ite ana koe ko ai ra nei
ho’I au
Ka haka kore ra koe I te mamae nei,
haka maeha mai koe I te ara e vovo e, Ki haka
rehu au ite ta’e reka nei, I muri ia koe e ia koe
ENGLISH
I wait for you on this corner alone like yesterday
I follow you like a spirit, silent through the dark
I live in this dark world
But I’m searching for light
I’m falling inside this void
Give me your hand
Chorus
In this darkness I wait for you
In this darkness I think of you
Of you girl
I think about you inside this loneliness
Cold in this dark world
So long I have loved you
But you don’t know I exist
Take away this pain
light my way
I can forget this nightmare by your side
By your side
10. ITE TITI O TE VAI
(BY THE OCEAN SHORE)
Riki riki no taua au nei I e’a I oho ai
Ki te kainga roa roa e
He topa te mana’u mai ra kia koe e
Ki te kona rava kori era o taua e
Ko tano ana te mahana mo hoki hakaou atu
o’oku e, oira
Hoki atu au ki runga I ra puku rava piri era o
taua e, Hoki atu au, ki runga I ra puku
E ite titi ote vai koe I noho ai hokotahino mo
hokorua mai e, hokorua mai e
Aue re, tatou nei, hokorua mai eee
hokorua mai eee
ENGLISH
We were only children when I left
For that far and foreign land
I never forgot you and the place we used to play
I’m ready to come home, I return again today
I’ll return to that place of ours
I’ll return to that place
Chorus
By the ocean shore you’ll stay with me
To be with me
By the ocean shore
11. RAOHANGA
(JOURNEY)