He Maimai Aroha Moteatea naa kiingi Taawhiao

On 14 February 1998 Ngaati Wairere celebrated the 100th year of Poukai at Hukanui marae. It was King Taawhiao, the son of Pootatau Te Wherowhero the first King, who bought Wairere people out of 18 years of exile and placed them within their present rural areas of Hukanui and Tauhei, the whenua of their tupuna Hotumauea and Hanui.
In preparation for this commemoration, Hukanui Marae kaumatua decided to revive and learn Taawhiao’s lament (moteatea) – He Maimai Aroha.

The kupu (words) express the resilience of those people who had lost everything, their inability to be placed back on their principal homelands and their thriving economies. It speaks of the hurt and the sadness King Taawhiao felt for his Wairere whaanaunga and of the generation who passed before he could place them in their present paa sites.
The services of a tutor from Te Wananga o Aotearoa (Finny Davis) was called upon to put a rangi (tune) to the kupu. The moteatea was then recorded and learned by kaumaatua, kuia, and whaanau as the waiata tautoko (song of endorsement) to conclude the speech of the final Wairere speaker at the 100th Poukai commemoration.
Of note, the moteatea includes reference to Te Koopu Mania which is the name of another Wairere Marae on which Kirikiriroa WINTEC (Te Pukenga) now resides.
This moteatea can be sung during poowhiri. It is a waiata that marks historical tribal loss and strength. It remembers and honors the tupuna strength Wairere continues to uphold.

Ngaati Wairere do not own rights to this moteatea and do not claim ownership. It does, however, reflect the loss of lands Ngaati Wairere has endured over time. The singing of this moteatea is one way that Ngaati Wairere can acknowledge the reverence and respect for Kingi Taawhiao and hislove of his people and the whenua.
We also acknowledge Finny Davis for supporting Ngaati Wairere to revive the moteatea for the centenary Poukai Celebrations.

Naa Peter Paki te kaiwaiata me te kaituhi hoki o eenei whaakaro