He aha rā kei te tau o taku ate?
Tīmoti Kāretu - 1988
The serious question being asked is how can the Māori language survive? The answer is by everyone continuing to speak it - there is no other way! This was used as the exit at the national competitions held in Whangārei in October 1988.
Maori lyrics
Kaitātaki: He aha rā kei te tau o taku ate e haehae ake nei?
Katoa: Ko te mamae ki te ngaro o taku reo!
Warea kē ana ngā whakahaere Māori o te motu
Me te iwi whānui hoki
Ki te reo o tauiwi!
Me pēhea kē hoki e ora ai ki te whērā?
E kore e ora i ngā kōhanga reo,
Te Ātārangi, ngā kura reo rua, ngā whare wānanga
Eaoia mā te kōrero tonu! Mā te kōrero tonu!
E tātou, e te ao Māori, e tau nei
Kāti rā te toupiore, te māikoiko
Kei riro kē mā te Pākehā tō tātou reo e pupuri.
Takatū ake! Takatū ake!
Takatū ake kia whai kiko ai te kōrero,
'Tōku reo, tōku ohooho,
Tōku reo, tōku māpihi maurea,
Tōku reo, tōku whakakai marihi'
Aue! Aue! Aue! Te mamae ki taku taonga e!
Hei!