Te Kai Kino

Tu Tangata, Issue 35, 1 April 1987, Page 19

Te Kai Kino

Kaea Ko te waipiro te kai Whakararu i te iwi e Katoa Turakina turakina turakina atu e Kaea Ko te waipiro te kai Whakarori i te iwi e Katoa Porowhiua porowhiua ki rahaki nei Kaea Nga kupu ka ruia Ki te tini kite mano Auahi ana Katoa Kse kse iahaha “Kai i te kai a te rangatira Kauaka e tuku Ko te kai hei rangatira mohou” Kaea Ehara! Hiki tonu taku inu Katoa Hikitia kia kaha Kaea Korokoro hohonu Paapaku uaua Katoa Ka reka ka reka te inu nei Kaea Tenei makiki ana taku tu Katoa Te ihi te wehi Whangaia ake nei Kaea Makona te inu? Katoa Horohia tonu mai E koa nei ko to ngakau Wairangi ana ko to hinengaro Karawhiua tonu ana e Kaati ra kua haurangi Peehi tonu ana e i ahaha Maranga ana nga ringa E kua porangi Kai tonu ana i te kai Tohe tonu tohe tonu Inu wheturangi Kaea Tena tukuhia Katoa Ana ana ana He tuku ka riri He tuku ka wero He tuku whaatoto hoki mai Mataku mataki kite whiu ate hanga e Paaruturutu nei i ahau Kaea Nawai e kii mai ko te kaha kei aia Katoa Hoki mai hauora ki roto i ahau He rongo korero Tenei whakaari ake nei Na te kai kino i te kai Hinga atu te haurangi Ara mai te porangi Whakatina kia tina Kaea Ka kaha nei te whawhai Katoa Takahia kia kino takahia takahia Kino rawa Na te pakeha kawetia mai te kai kino Te he a te kai a te iwi Mehe ata kai noa ake

Kaea Kai kaha nei e te tini Katoa Whenua kua ngaro Kaea Kai kaha nei e te tini Katoa Tangata ka heke Kaea Kai kaha nei e te tini Katoa Te mana whakapurere ka ngaro noa He koia he koia hi! Aue

TRANSLATION

Alcohol is food that troubles the people Cast it out! Cast it out! Turns people’s minds Throw it out! Throw it out! The words being bandied To the many, to the multitude Going up in smoke “Eat in the manner of your masters But don’t let the food be your master” Even then I lift my drink And I drink even more The throat is deep But the sinews and muscles are very shallow How sweet! Very sweet this drink can be Thus I stand braced The awesome is fed The psyche, and awesomeness herein is nourished Yet have I had enough? Never! Keep on pouring. Content is the inner man even though the mind Has gone awry Regardless I drink on Stop it! I think I’m drunk It’s so depressing to me I raise my fists in combat I’ve gone mad I still go on drinking The urge to keep drinking is ever strong I see the stars Let it out Ana ana ana To release the anger To release the hurt I let the anger out and the anger returns Isn’t it frightening to watch? Tossing and turning me about Who said this thing had power over me? I’ve heard it said This that I’m revealing to you Because people abuse alcohol “As a drunkard falls over a mad menace arises” Hold it. Hold it so tight. As I fight even more I stamp, I stomp even harder The pakeha brought the demon to our shores But it was the Maori who used it wrongly “We must take it responsibly” Through the excessive use by the masses land has been lost Through the excessive use by the masses many people have died Through the excessive use by the masses the prestige of the people has been dissipated And lost Perhaps it’s just desserts, just desserts for us Hi! Aue