Story: Wading birds
At the northern tip of New Zealand, the arrival of godwits or kūaka from the north each spring, and departure in the autumn, has important symbolism for the Muriwhenua tribes. When the people under Tūmatahina escaped from the besieged pā of Murimotu, it was said they flew away like godwits. The chant ‘Ruia, ruia, tahia, tahia’ recalls that legendary escape:
Ruia, ruia, tahia, tahia,
Kia hemo te kākoakoa,
Kia herea mai i te kawau korokī.
Kia tātaki mai i roto i te pūkorokoro, whaikoro,
Te kūaka, he kūaka mārangaranga,
Tahi manu i tau ki te tāhuna, tau atu, tau atu, tau
atu!
Scatter, scatter, sweep on, sweep on,
Let us not be plundered by our foe,
The rope has been stretched out and fastened, let us
rejoice.
Moving along the rope,
The godwits have risen and flown,
One has landed, to the beach, the others follow!
About this item
Department of Conservation
Reference: 10035336
Photograph by Rod Morris
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