Writer, educator and pioneering advocate for te reo
Dr Wayne Ngata, educator, Nga¯ti Ira, Te Aitanga a Hauiti, Nga¯ti Porou, pays tribute to Keri Kaa, writer and advocate for te reo, who died on August 26.
Ka riro ra¯ e te momo o te wahine Ka memene ki tawhiti e
Te motu ra¯ i a te ori e . . .
A farewell to Keri Kaa (An interpretation)
Gone are our noble women
All departed afar off
Cut short at that stricken place . . .
Kia tı¯kina atu nga¯ kupu a to¯na iwi hei tangi, hei haku i te rironga atu i te¯nei wa¯ o te ori e whakamataku nei i te motu, e hinga nei te ao. Ka¯ti, kua whaiko¯rerotia, kua mo¯teateahia a Keri i nga¯ wiki tata nei. Kua hahua ake nga¯ ko¯rero mo¯ to¯na wha¯nau, mo¯ o¯na iwi, mo¯ o¯na pu¯kenga, mo¯ a¯na mahi, mo¯ to¯na momo, ma¯ wai hoki e wha¯wha¯ atu. Ehara hoki i te tira mokemoke e nunumi atu ana ki te po¯. Ko o¯na karangatanga hoki o runga, o raro o te tai uraura i te whitinga mai o te ra¯ e tangihia ana. Na¯ reira ka noho, ka whakaaro me pe¯hea te whakamihi i a ia, i ana taonga i waiho iho hei ako, hei kawe, hei whakaihi, hei whakaoreore, hei ta¯nga manawa ano¯ ma¯ te tangata. Me pe¯nei pea;
These words are taken from a lament of Keri’s Nga¯ti Kahungunu people to acknowledge and mourn her passing during this particularly challenging time of Covid-19. Keri has been spoken of and lamented over recent weeks. Mention has been made of her family, her tribes, her attributes and characteristics, her work and achievements, her way of doing things, certainly someone to admire. Sadly she is one of several from related communities on the eastern seaboard who have passed away during this time, and so we mourn them all. On reflection one is able to take time to consider therefore how she and the legacy she
leaves behind is acknowledged and indeed furthered. Perhaps the following may suffice;
E Keri, e au to¯ moe
I te moenga te¯ whakaarahia
I te urunga te¯ taka
I te riu o Waiapu ko¯ka¯ huhua Taonga huhua, ko¯rero huhua Ta¯ngata me ko ta¯tara e maru ana E hau mai nei te ao parera Taumata Hauku¯ o Hikurangi Ka to¯kia te kiri e te anu ma¯tao Aue¯ taukuri e!
Rest now Keri
On the bed from which you will not arise, on the pillow that will not slip
In the valley of Waiapu of many mothers Many treasures, a wealth of knowledge And many people
There blows the wind from Taumata Hauku¯
On Hikurangi
The biting cold is keenly felt
Alas!
E Keri, e piki ki runga
Ki te wai roto Kautuku
Ki a Huturangi, te puhi o Nukutere waka I kitea e te tama a Rongomaitahanui He tahito, he tipua
Kei Nga¯puketurua te iwi
E whakato¯ ana i te marere ma¯na
Ko te pure te¯ra¯, Taperenui a Wha¯tonga Ka mahi te tainga o te riu o Horouta He makuru pu¯karakara
Hei kai e
Keri, follow the path there
To the pool at Te Kautuku
Where Huturangi, noblewoman of the canoe Nukutere was seen by the son of Rongomaitahanui, extraordinary indeed The people there at Nga¯puketurua are Planting food anticipating his arrival The rituals conducted, Taperenui a Wha¯tonga, and the abundance of the hold of Horouta was emptied so
To sustain our people
E Keri e, ko Rangitukia ra¯ te pa¯riha I tukua atu ai nga¯ kaiwhakaako tokowha¯ Ki te kauhau i te rongopai
Taka rawa mai ki te whare o Hoani Tapu a¯haha!
Ko te papatipu o Tipiwhenua, o Hohipene
Ko te ra¯ kei runga, ko te wı¯wı¯ na¯ti kei raro e
E oreore kau ana, oreore kau ana
Keri, Rangitukia was the parish That sent forth the four teachers to Preach the good word
There stands St John’s
Near the seed bed of Tipiwhenua and Hohipene
With the sky above and the people below Anything is possible
E Keri, te¯ra¯ te haeata takiri ana mai Ki runga o Wikito¯ria po¯kai ko¯hine Po¯kai wawata, po¯kai ma¯reikura ki te ao Na¯u ano¯ i hao me ko te rangatahi I ko¯rerotia e Hoani Waititi
Ko te reo kei te mata arero
I to¯ia mai i tuawhakarere
Hei wha¯riki i te tika o te kupu Ha¯ngai pu¯ ki te paepae taringa
O te pia, o te ta¯ura, o te tauira e
Keri, lo the dawn breaks
Upon (Queen) Victoria the gathering of Young women, our aspirations, our future
You honed further your craft and the language as prescribed by John Waititi It was drawn from the depths of time To underpin that which you brought to bear
For students and those who partook Of your teachings
E Keri, e iri tara a¯-whare nei
paki, o¯ rongo, o¯ ngangahu
I te whare o te whakaako
O te whakaari, o te whakahau i te riri e Me ko Rongomaiwahine o Nukutaurua
Te¯na¯ ko to¯ reo ta¯taki
Te hae o to¯ pene
Ta¯ia mai te ataakura i te rangi Hei moko kauae
E hika e
Keri, your stories, your accomplishments, your chastisements are well known
In the teaching fraternity
In the arts and theatre
As a champion of the rights of your people You are Rongomaiwahine of Nukutaurua Your voice has been heard and scribed In the glowing skies on high
The matriarch no less
My dear one
E Keri
Haere ki te huihui o Matariki Aku whakatiketike Ka¯oreha¯ te aria¯ o te mate
a¯huatanga whakaheke Ko te tika o te kupu Te whaihanga ka tipu
Ko te tohetohe ra¯
Ko te kakama hoki
Ko te aroha ki to¯u iwi Ko runga te¯na¯, ko runga te¯na¯ E Keri e
Keri
You now join the gathering
Of our illustrious ones with Matariki You will never be forgotten Your language integrity
Your creative vitality
Your propensity for lively debate Your astuteness and wit
Your love for your own
What more can one say
Our dear one, Keri