Songs that celebrate Matariki: Ngā Whetū
Ngā Whetū
By Hīrini Melbourne
| Hora ngā whetū, ki te Marae-nui-ātea Tītiti tātai, ki te Uma o Ranginui Mai te Kete o Te Hāruru, ko Te Whānau Mārama Poutini, Tautoru, Rēhua, Matariki, Kōpū, Whānui, Autahi, Te Mangoroa (Te Mangoroa) (Hikitia te mana, te reo, te rangatahi.) He ara ki runga rā, ki Te Whānau o te Kahurangi Hikitia te mana tū te ihi e Rere ana te wehiwehi, Tū Tāngata e Rere ana te wehiwehi, Tū Tāngata e! |
The stars connect to the great courtyard of space |
About this waiata
This waiata also comes from Te Aute College, a boys’ only Māori boarding school in Pukehou, Hawke’s Bay. At Te Aute the students belong to different ‘houses’ within the school. The houses compete against each other in the school’s annual house kapa haka competition. In the early 1980s, Te Awanui Timutimu taught this waiata to students in Ngarimu House to use in the competition.
The song talks about the heavens, star connections, and constellations, including the Matariki star cluster. This inspirational song helps us remember to look skywards and be mindful of our place in the universe.
