Rapua te mea ngaro

A piece by Ruamano Te Koi dedicated to young urbanised Maaori moving away from home and committing to university life in the city

Rapua te mea ngaro

Seek that which has been lost

Noho-a-kiko, noho manene ana ki toona anoo whenua

I am like a visitor, a tourist to my own country

Teeraa Te Auahi-Nui-o-Taamaki,

There she blows up, the big smoke

E piirori ana I te uma o Ranginui

The rolling thick smoke overcasting the chest of Ranginui

Kei whea ngaa mata o ngaa ariki?

Where are my ancestors in the sky?

Teeraa aku hoa e rawakore ana I ngaa piriti

Look at my people out on the streets

E patipati noa nei, e unene a waha iho

Begging for a bite or a cent

Kei whea te oranga moo taku iwi Maaori?

Where is the well-being for my people?

Teeraa ia taku waha e memeha nei

My mouth is dry

Kiihaia te rongo I taku mauri, kiihaia a rokiroki haumaru

The spirit of my ancestors faded, I’m losing my sense of belonging

Kei whea taku reo Maaori?

Where is my language?

Te kupu a taa Matutaera

Matutaera once said

He mea korikori e te iwi, kia ngaaueue ki ngaa whakawai a tauiwi

Something that shook the nation, and awoken the rise of our ancestors within us

Rapua te mea ngaro

Seek that which has been lost