E nanawe ake ana i ahau

English lyrics

Gnawing away within meIs sadness, pain and sorrow,For that most important aspectOf the Māori worldWhich is fast disappearing,For its literary flights, its aptnessFor its barbs, its great beautyThat which caused the dust to be stirredBlood to be spiltThe spine to tingleAdmiration to be demandedAnd reputations to be made.Let us now desistFrom stating that the blame lies hereOr that the blame lies thereFrom being obsessed with the beauty ofthe air,The actions and the turn of the headThose elements employed to distract peopleAnd thereby disguise the fact that theyknow nothingFrom letting the peripheralAssume a position of importanceAnd the important become insignificantIn their day and timeThe word was the beginningAnd the word was the endThe actions were secondary.However, in our day and timeThe actions have becomeThe be all and end allThe lyric unimportant.We are like fishWith mouths opening meaninglessly!Note that we have places where words havebeen suspended in time, and where chiefshave troddenTo motivate and strengthen usFor without that most essential of aspects,the language,How can words be suspended or chiefs standon the marae?Therefore let us prepareTo return the language to its proper positionof importanceLest our descendants should ask,'What did you do with my heritage?'