Puaka

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Puaka is the Kāi Tahu dialect form of Puanga, the star also known as Rigel, an important signifier of the Māori New Year for some iwi. The lyrics of Puaka are written by Ruby Solly, and the string parts were written by bass player Phil Boniface.
lyrics
Puaka
me Kā Kapa
whetū
tohu o te tau

Wheriko i kā tohu
pūhihi whetū e
ki te toka
te toka

Dawn riser
our survivor
take my hand up to the hills
piki mauka
piki ora
scattered eyes shine
from the black
Nā te pō
ki te ao mārama

Te Tāua nui o te pō
“Piri mai”, she says
to her daughters six
in my hands in their hands
water flowing through
Waitī, waitā
Waipunaraki
Tupuānuku
Tupuāraki
Ururaki
Hiwa-i-te-raki
Pōhutukawa
Matariki

Puaka Kai Rau
E Takurua
E haere ki tō whaiāipō
these long cold nights are held by you
these long cold nights where memories swim
call their names to the black wind
‘til they light up the night
Tūpuna my southern lights
Let our children hear the names of those they will know from within
Cry it to the wind, cry it to the wind.
Tūpuna my southern lights, kā aho mo kā kapa, a thread for Puaka.
Our southernmost lights
Burning through the black
credits
released June 10, 2021
published June 10, 2021 (publish_date)
modified June 11, 2021 (mod_date)

Ruby Solly cello, vocal ngā taonga pūoro
Ariana Tikao vocal, ngā taonga pūoro
Phil Boniface double bass
Alistair Fraser ngā taonga puoro

Recorded by Lee Prebble at The Surgery
Mixed by David Long

Thanks to Creative New Zealand for their assistance with this project. Ngā mihi nui.