TE RANGITAKORU'S NURSERY SONG FOR HIS DAUGHTER, FOR WHARAURANGI

Te Ao Hou, August 1957, Page 17

TE RANGITAKORU'S NURSERY SONG FOR HIS DAUGHTER, FOR WHARAURANGI O, my daughter, when you came from afar, And your hands were formed, and your feet, And your face, you floated, O daughter, In the Kurahaupo, Ruatea's canoe, When you embarked in the Aotea, the canoe of Turi, You forded the Whenua kura at its mouth, There was made the house of Rangitawi; Let us plant the kumara, And sow the karaka, in the land bordering the sea; Sink deep the post Tamawahinei, Leave it for Nga tua hine, from Nonoko-uri, From Nonoko-tea, the Hererunga and Korohunga. Hau took up some sand in the palm of his hand, and his staff. When he crossed over the river, Finding it was wide he called it Wanga-nui. Splash the water, that will reach Wangac-hu; The length of a fallen tree, is Turakina. Having many times lifted up his feet, Tikei; When his heart sank within him, Manawatu; When the wind whistled past his ears, Hokio; The small river called, Ohau; When he carried his staff in a horizontal position, Otaki; When he prayed, O daughter, it was Wai-mea; When he looked out of the corner of his eye, Wai-kanae; When he became weary, my daughter, he reached Wai-raka. He repeated an incantation, She became fixed above, and fixed below, My daughter. When his eyes glistened with delight, He called the place Wai-rarapa, It was the rejoicing of your ancestor, my daughter. The sky became cloudless, On account of Waitiri's good will. She then enticed Kaitangata out to sea: She placed the plank across, And drove it in a post to hold on by, called Meremere. She left to her offspring, Punga, the anchor of his canoe, As his name, Awhema. Enough, it is finished, O my daughter.