Titokowaru

(album: Tangaroa - 2021)

Toki hī!

Kei hea te kēhua?
Kei hea te taniwha?
Ko wai te rangatira?
Ko Tītokowaru!

Ka pīrangi au te kikokiko pākeha
Te mate o tō tametame whakaongaonga
E hoa, haere mai ki tō hinganga
Tītokowaru tōku ingoa
E hoa, haere mai ki tō hinganga
Tītokowaru tōku ingoa

Kāore au e mate ana
Kāore au e mate ana
I te rā ka mate a Aituā
Ka ora tonu au

Te kai karetao ahau
Tō raupatu whakamātau
He ngoikore to kakari
Tītokowaru kaiwhakatuma!

Te kai karetao ahau
Tō raupatu whakamātau
He ngoikore to kakari
Tītokowaru kaiwhakatuma!

Ki a Puano mā, he kupu anō koutou. Kāti te haere I nga rori me waka mutu rawa te haere I nga rori e anga atu ana ki Mangamanga, kei takoto koutou ki nga rori hei kai ma nga manu o te rangi ma nga kireke o te parae maku ra nei. No te mea kua kai ahau I te Pākehā anō, he kau e tunua ana ki te patu kai kau ana nga wāhine me nga tamariki. Kua timata taku kai I te tangata kua hāmama tonu toku korokoro ki te kai I te tangata. E kore ahau e mate, kāore ahau e mate, ka mate anō te mate. Ka ora anō a hau pēnā tonu te kupu anō koutou puta noa I Matangarara he kupu marama tēnā naku ki a koutou, puta noa I o koutou rohe, kāti.

Kāore au e mate ana
Kāore au e mate ana
I te rā ka mate a Aituā
Ka ora tonu au

[English translation:]

[Traditional Māori paddling chant]

Where is the spirit?
Where is the monster?
Who is the chief?
It's Tītokowaru!

I crave the flesh of the white man
The death of your soldier goading you
Come here to your demise, my friend
I am Tītokowaru
Come here to your demise, my friend
I am Tītokowaru

I shall not die
I shall not die
When death itself is dead
I shall be alive

I am the puppeteer
You attempt to steal our land
Your efforts in battle are feeble
Tītokowaru the insurgent!

I am the puppeteer
You attempt to steal our land
Your efforts in battle are feeble
Tītokowaru the insurgent!

[Tītokowaru's letter:]
To Puano and the others. A word for you. Cease travelling on the roads cease going on the roads which lead to Mangamanga (Waihī), lest you be left on the roads as food for the birds of the air and for the beasts of the field, or for me because I have eaten the European, as beef, he was cooked in a pot the women and children partook of the food. I have begun to eat human flesh, and my throat constantly craves for the flesh of man. I shall not die I shall not die. When death itself is dead I shall be alive. I shall live forever. You all too shall live if you leave Matangārara. These are my faithful words to you all throughout your many regions. I end here.

I shall not die
I shall not die
When death itself is dead
I shall be alive