Pēnei au
Ka rere tika tonu te awa nei
Pēnei au
Ka piri tahi haere ake nei
Kua pekapeka te awa
Kua rerekē taku ara
Ka mua ka muri
Tōku nei pūtaketake
Tēnei au
He whakahekenga o te whaiora
Tēnei au
He whakatipu oranga
Ko tōku waka
He waka kama
Kei te tauihu
Tōku whakapapa
Tātou tātou e
Kua pekapeka te awa
Kua rerekē taku ara
Ka mua ka muri
Tōku nei pūtaketake
Pukatea - a translation
I thought
this river would always flow like this
I thought
We’d stay together for generations
The river has branched off now
My path has changed/looks different
I look back and see where I’m from
My absolute origin/source
Here I am
A descendant of the pursuit of a better future
Here I am
Growing/nurturing a better tomorrow
This waka
Is a willing waka
The figurehead that leads
Is everyone that I come from
Together, together
The river has branched off now
My path has changed/looks different
I look back and see where I’m from
My absolute origin/source
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