Mōteatea te uri o Tūhoe Pōtiki

Since I was young I can recall my elders retelling the bravery of Ngāi Tūhoe who came to aid our people in battle at O-Rākau. Since that time, up until today I still feel a great deal of compassion for the children of the mist. As we, the O-Rākau Heritage Society Committee, prepared the battle site for the 150th memorial of the war, I felt angry. I could feel their spiritual presence and asked the question, amongst other things, ‘Where exactly do you lie?’ I began to cry, the words came and the tune followed, and this song was born.