Tēnā koutou - Hello everyone.

Thank you for joining me on my journey to learn Te Reo. Last Monday we looked at how to encourage others. I’ve been encouraging the girls: Kia kaha te mahi! Work hard!

And in my te reo journey, I’m having to learn to be patient.

Tāria te wā!  - Be patient!

This week, I thought I’d look at the history of our national anthem, as we often now hear it sung in Māori - and I discovered it has a Central Otago connection.

Te ngaringari a te motu - the national anthem.

Our national anthem was in fact a poem composed in 1875 by Thomas Bracken, who was one of our early settlers.

His poem, ‘God Defend New Zealand’, was put to music in 1876 by J J Woods, who lived here in Central Otago.

The anthem was translated into Māori two years later by Thomas H Smith, a Native Land Court judge.

However, even though the Māori translation was available, only the English version was ever sung.

Then, in 1999, at the Rugby World Cup in England, well-known Māori singer Hinewehi Mohi performed ‘God Defend New Zealand’ before the All Blacks versus England match at Twickenham. She sang it in Māori only.

It caused an uproar.

When asked why she had sung the national anthem in Māori only, Mohi, a fluent speaker of Māori, replied that it seemed a perfectly natural thing to do.

Mohi’s act of singing in Māori provoked much public agitation and argument about our national anthem. Many viewers in New Zealand complained because most people did not understand Māori.

Nowadays however, it has become accepted practice to sing the national anthem in both Māori and English before major sporting events.

E Ihowa Atua                                 God of Nations at Thy feet

O ngā iwi mātou rā                        In the bonds of love we meet

Āta whakarongona                        Hear our voices we entreat

Me aroha noa                                God defend our free land

Kia hua ko te pai                           Guard Pacific’s triple star

Kia tau tō atawhai                         From the shafts of strife and war

Manaakitia mai                             Make her praises heard afar

Aotearoa                                       God defend New Zealand

Kia pai te wiki! Have a great week!

And if you want to know more, check out te wiki o te reo Māori here 

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