Kotiro Maori

Kotiro Maori e taku ripene pai Maori lass, my bright ribbon

O makawe hoki nga ngaru o te tai Your hair looks like the ripples of the tide

Ko te pare huia A topknot of huia ( feathers )

He tohu rangatira e Aristocratic symbol’

Ko Rongomaiwahine Rongomaiwahine

O Nukutaurua e Of Nukutaurua

Rongongia to ataahua Your beauty known

E te whenua katoa Throughout the land

Tae atu te kohimuhimu Then the whisper reaches

Ki a Kahungunu e Even to Kahungunu

Ko wai te wahine e Who is the woman who

Whakakapakapa te manawanui breaks so many hearts ?

Ko Rongomaiwahine ‘tis Rongomaiwahine

O Nukutaurua e Of Nukutaurua

Piki ake kake ake He travels northward

Ki te Mahia e to Te Mahia

Ka kite tana hiahia and sees his desire

Aue ko Rongomai e that is Rongomai

Haere mai e tama rukuhia Come young man dive

Nga paua o Tangaroa nei, for the paua belonging to Tangaroa

Ma Rongomaiwahine and give them to Rongomaiwahine

O Nukutaurua e Of Nukutaurua

Nahau ra Kahungunu It was you, Kahungunu

Tangata whakanene Man of smooth manner

Na te paua ‘twas the paua

I raru ana koe Rongomai e that defeated you, Rongomai

Maranga mai e hine Come young lady

Ka haere taua e Lets us two travel

Ki Maramatea to Maramatea

O Nukutaurua Of Nukutaurua