Pū Whenua Hautapu, Eka Mumura
By Troy Kingi & The Upperclass
“A multi-layered, conscious celebration of all things Indigenous.”
This incredible reworking of the third instalment of Troy Kingi's aspirational 10|10|10 Series (Holy Colony Burning Acres) will be released this Matariki (Māori New Year), and is a deeply personal project for Troy.
This is more than a translation, but a complete reworking of the album from a Māori world view, including brand new recordings of tracks such as Turūkanīnī. It has also been an opportunity for Troy and long time production partner TeMatera Smith to revisit production decisions and make tweaks and changes for the keen of ear.
The 2019 English release of ‘Holy Colony Burning Acres’, won the prestigious 2020 Taite Music Prize, and a nomination for the coveted Silver Scroll Award for ‘Mighty Invader’. The album also earned Kingi two awards at the 2019 Vodafone New Zealand Music Awards – Best Roots Album, and for a second consecutive year, Best Māori Artist.
“It pierces through the thick, multi-layered din of distraction and reminds us that through shared knowledge comes collective understanding, and from collective understanding comes kotahitanga - togetherness.’”
Associate Professor Warren Maxwell (Trinity Roots / Little Bushmen) (Ngāti Whare / Ngāi Te Riu / Ngāti Rākaipaaka / Ngāi Tūkairangi) writes about this record ~
"Like many of us on the journey of re-connecting with whakapapa, I feel extremely fortunate to have been given numerous opportunities and invitations to grow into and embrace the fertile, holistic plenitudes of Te Aō Māori.
Troy's lyric citing hīnātore as a metaphor for hope in a hopeless situation (He Kākano), sparked my own reflections on the numerous ongoing challenges of iwi taketake (indigenous peoples) around the world, and the sustained campaigning against systemic hegemony. One korero tells us that Hīnātore (phosphorous light) was the first piercing glimmer out of the dark expanse of the nothingness (Te Kore), that our Ātua saw when Tāne separated Ranginui (Sky Father) from Papatūānuku (Earth Mother). It is generous, ngakau nui creations like this album that collectively pierce through the din for ALL of us to embrace and reflect.
The entire album is imbued with a multi-layered, conscious celebration of all things Indigenous; from the joyous collage or linguistic chaos of ’Taku Taku (Tower of Babylon), to the tasty eudaemonic ‘dubs’; a homage to Lee Scratch Perry scattered throughout. This piercing glimmer and celebrated continuum of indigeneity could not be any more celebrated in this stunning yet hearty collection of songs and story telling. To weave all of the threads of sublime production, with the highest calibre of exquisite musicianship and lyrical inteniont of a taiaha is no easy feat. In this album (and all his others!) Troy delivers. 'E hara taku toa i te toa takitahi, engari he toa taki tini’. In Te Ao Māori, individual actions and considerations are for the benefit of the many. And in this increasingly, fast-paced, dynamic world, our brother Troy makes time for us all. He invests his creative energies and aroha for us all. We mihi back to him and his beautiful whanau, and acknowledge their collective aroha embodied within this taonga, ‘Pū Whenua Hautapu Eka Mumura’. And because this album comes from the ngakau (heart), in my humble opinion, it soars high above any music industry metric. It pierces through the thick, multi-layered din of distraction and reminds us that through shared knowledge comes collective understanding, and from collective understanding comes kotahitanga / togetherness.'
Pū Whenua Hautapu, Eka Mumura Lyrics
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Intro
Kei tō whakapapa te utu
Kei reira te kōrero tūturu
(I) kaiponuhia te mana mō te kawai āriki
Verse
Ko wai te kai/whakaora?
Nō mai rānō i noho mai ai
Kīia nei he kākano i ruia
Mai i te orokohanga
Pre Chorus
Aku taonga
(He maunga tini rawa
aku kahurangi
Ka īnoi ki tō atua.
aku kura
Kua riro atu rā
(Kua) whānakohia
ko te kōhau, he moepapa?)
Chorus
Nōhea rā o kōiwi?
(to koroua i taka i te tāra)
kūare tō iwi
Kei a wai rā te kāwai?
(tō heke i te mana nui)
Ihiōpia
Verse
He kaiwhakatūtū rānei koe, he ngārahu?
Koia me āna nuku raupatu
Kotahi anahe te uri tūturu
Ehara i te Raiona o Hura
Pre Chorus
Ō rātou mamae
(He maunga tini rawa,
kua kapohia
Ka īnoi ki tō atua.
Ō rātou kōingo
Kua riro atu rā,
Kua rirohia
ko te kōhau, he moepapa?)
Chorus
Bridge
I wehe i te kāinga tūturu,
Kua mātao tōku ahikā
Ka heke iho nei i ngā whetū,
He karere nō te runga rawa
He karu ōpure, nō te rangi
Paitini parakore,
Ara huakore
Chorus
Outro
Kei ō ira ngā whakautu
Kei reira te kōrero tūturu
(I) kaiponuhia te mana mō te kawai āriki
-
Taku kiri e x2
Ko te raupapa, tō tūāpapa e
Mau roa ana i ō teka
Hē ana ngā tumu kōrero
I tō kaponga mana
pre
(Kua) panaia tētahi, kia tūohu/ ki te rangi
(Kua) mau mai tētahi hei hāpai i te āriki
Ka horo tō mana e te onepū
He rōrā ki (a) Papa
Kei te ringa te tikanga e
chorus
Hīia ai te ika mutunga, ka mate ai te awa
Ka taka te rangi
Ka mōhio pū koe, ehara te moni-i te kai
Mau mai aku kahika mai i whenua kē
I okea ururoatia
Whakatoiharatia taku kiri
He tangata, he kara rānei ki runga?
Tahuna kē ai ō naiki
He muna kino nei e noho tonu ana
ki te pō
Ka ū tonu au ki te Tuarua
Pre
Mātai (i) te hautapu i te pourewa
I te hiahia te tū i te tū o ngā tūpuna
He whika noa tātou i te hunga taketake
Ka whawhai au
kia au te moe o rātou mā
Chorus
Bridge
Tū mai (tū mai)
Maranga mai (maranga mai)
Me atamai
Kei mate ai (kei mate ai)
E te iwi kia kaha (kia kaha)
(Kia) taurite te mana (te mana)
Rātou kei te tihi
Topea e te tokonui (topea e te tokonui)
Tukuna tō reo (tukuna tō reo)
Kia rere, kia ūmere (kia rere)
Whai rawa haere ai
Ka mātau, ka hoki mai (ka hoki mai)
Ko tātou te tokomaha (tokomaha)
Nei te māramatanga (māramatanga)
Nā te kaha o te ahi tūtata
E kore rawa rā e hinga
chorus
Hīia ai te ika mutunga, ka mate ai te awa
Ka taka te rangi
Ka mōhio pū koe, ehara te moni-i te kai
Mau mai aku kahika mai i whenua kē
I okea ururoatia
Whakawāhia taku kiri
Written by Troy Kingi
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Verse
Kua panaia i te ahiahi
Kua heke tō mana ki te ata
Kei ā Tone, kei ā Piri
he kōrero kē
Ko tātahi kua muia
e te tou areare
Hāhā te whenua
Haoa noa ai te tahua
Pre
Aukatihia ō waka huia
(Kei) whakarirohia e Ngā Motu
(He) kaiapo kē, (he) mihikore koe
Nō mua rā (i) te taenga (o te) Pākehā
Te hakirara mau rākau
(whakahīhī)
He reo tē aro atu ai
(whakahīhī)
Nā te rākau i whakaako ai
Whakangaro atu ko te Māori e
‘Chorus’
Ka tū tonu uuuuuu
Hei aha kē tāu
Ka tū kaha tonu
Verse
Mīia te pune hiriwa
Kainga, buena petite-o
El Gringo - (Puta que pariu)
Nā te kaikiri o te whakaaro
Kua raru koe i te tikanga
Ko wāu ka ngau
ki te puku
Pre
Ehara te kupu i te herekore
Ka noho koe hei marurenga
Ka whakatau ngā whai rawa
i te tikanga aukati
Te hakirara mau rākau
(whakahīhī)
He reo tē aro atu ai
(whakahīhī)
Nā te rākau i whakaako ai
Whakangaro atu ko te Māori e
Chorus
Written by Troy Kingi and Rob Ruha
-
Verse
I tainahi nei, i kitea he pūrere
He mano e rere i te orotā
He hinātore i te kore
Kāore he āpōpō i Tawhiti
Chorus
Ka whaka-atua te tahua, ka mate kau ko te tamaiti
Ko te aroha te rongoā
He kākano i ruia mai
i Rangiātea
Arohaina te katoa
Verse
Nā te korokoro te mana i whaka-tū
Kua whakatipua te tumu whakarae
Ka tākirihia tō uara
i te pūnaha
Mōrehurehu ana tō iwi e
Chorus
Bridge
Ehara i te kaupapa whaiora, he ekenga pā, he patunga
Ko te utu ko te āpōpō, tuakoka ana ngā mōrehu
chorus (repeat fade)
Written by Troy Kingi
-
Kawea e Te Maro ngā manako
Werohia te manu whati tai
Tukuna ia kia ora te iwi
Arā ngā wawata, pakaru ai me te tai
Karanga kore te eke o utu
Ko koe kē / (kei) te aronga o te pū
(Kua) pakapaka te whenua (oohhhh)
Panaia au i taku papa kāinga (papa kāinga)
Mātaki noa ai te muranga
E kore rawa au e noho noa
Pre
Hokona te ao ki ēnā piripiri puru
Me aha au i te papanga-rewha?
Kaiurutomo
ko tō ringa mau pū, me rere, me tūohu rānei
kia ora ai aku uri e Kuki
Kaiurutomo x3
Chorus
Te kōrero kua hora, he parau noa
Ehara i te kaitoro
He Kaiurutomo
Te hītori kua ākona
(Ko) tā te Raiona - “Kia māminga mai”
He kaipāhua
He Kaiurutomo
Post
Nā te Kingi i tuku
Pāwharatia ngā uri
Waimehahia te ira
Kia toa ai te kiritea
V2
Kei ia tauranga
Ia rangatira kua apohia (sax riff)
Ka kake ake ki taumata kē
Ko ō waihotanga kua hora
Mai i Ngā Moutere ki te- ao
(He) pakoko kua waiho noa
(ohhhhhh) ko tā te kūare he tipua, he atua (koe) (he atua koe)
Engari ko koutou kē te tira pū tangata
-
Ka tangihia e te manu i Hawaiki, (ka) tū tonu te iwi
Turakina te kāinga, tahu ana te rangi, ka oho te iwi
Tukuna te amokura i te herenga taniwha
Tāria roa ai tō aroha
Tahuna te ngahere,
kore rawa ahau e hinga
Tāria roa ai tō aroha
Mana motuhake
ko te whāinga roa (Tino rangatiratanga)
Tino rangatiratanga
He hua parau noa te waha papāho
E oho, e ara, maranga rā
Pēhia roa e tamatama
Matika te tangata whenua
Tukuna a Pāpua i te herenga taniwha
Tāria roa ai tō aroha
Tahuna te ngahere,
(E) kore rawa ahau e hinga
Tāria roa (ai tō aroha)
Tāmia te ariki, ka ngaua e te riri
E kore e herea ēnei mātātoa
Kanaka mā,
e tū ki runga
mō te whenua, mō te moana
kawea e te aurere
Mā te patopato ko-e ka aha?
Whakatinanahia
Horn solo
bridge
Chorus
acapella x 2
Written by Troy Kingi
-
uuuuu
Chorus
Taumaha haere ana
He āriki kē i mua
Pūkakā ana
Te mekamoutere
(E) arumoni noa
Tēnei whenua uki
Me ara ngā uri,
kei ngaro noa
Verse
Ko te tama a upokoroa te tohu
Kāmehameha, nāna te toka
i tahuri,
ngā motu i tui
i te whenua taurikura
Whenua tapu kua
whaoa e te rangitoto
Tūtū ai a Pele,
(Ko) te ahi ka one
Chorus uuuuuuuuu
Verse
(Kua) hāparua ngā kōiwi e te kauhanga riri,
Tangihia ana
Ko te whatinga hope,
He mea mariko noa
Kua tāmia nō te pānga o te urutā
Koianei kē te ao, he awa e kore e whitikia?
He tōrangapū mana / kore noa
Chorus
Taumaha haere ana
Kia tū anō hei āriki
Pūkakā ana
Te mekamoutere
E arumoni noa ana
Tēnei whenua tuauri
Ki te kore te uri e whakatipu, ka ngaro noa
uuuuuuuuuu
Written by Troy Kingi
-
Ka moe roa, ka mate noa
Kei raro koe e putu ana
Me he ara anō hei whai
He haka haka i kore ai
Ka tipu, Kei te tipu x2
Mura ana kei tawhiti
Mō te whakapoke, he korou kore
Okea ururoatia
He haka haka i kore ai
Ka tipu, Kei te tipu x2
Bridge
He korero kua kaupare
Kua mukua, kua hāparu
Nō mātou te whenua
He iho mau pūmau
Toitū te whenua,
Whatungarongaro te tangata
(E) tohe tonu ana
Ki te karauna
(Kua) toro mai ko te ringa āwhina,
te manawa manaaki e
Ka tuku kōrero ki te Pākehā
Kua haea te takere
Ka tipu, Kei te tipu x2
Written by Troy Kingi
-
Verse
Kei te tai āniwaniwa rere ai,
he rerenga whanake tae atu ai ki tai
Me he rau noa, ka puta ai nga niho
Aro ki te kārewa, (ā), ki ngā rawa.
Pre-Chorus
Ka hia tōnga rā kia tae atu ki te ūnga
He moeao, he rerepō
(Kia kōwhai aku māwhiti)
He oranga i taku rangaika, i te tokomaha
Kia kaua au e kainga
Chorus
Ka rere ki te awa i te rā nei?
ki te ai rānei ki te moana
Te tuna, te ika, te waka ruku
Kauparea te hangarau
Kei tawhiti ki te moana
Ka tukurua, ka tukua
E tere ana i te tai rere
ki te Wai Māori, ka tīmata anō x2
Verse
He kūao i te rā, he pua i te pō
Whīroki i te awa, momona i te roto
He taiohi haehae kupenga
Mārake ai te tirohanga moana
Pre Chorus
Ka hia marama kia mate ai ahau
Ko te piki tāheke, ka pakari te kau
Kia pōpakopako ahau
Auē, kei ngā pārenga, kei ngā rua
Ka huna noa
Chorus
Bridge
UUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU x 6
Pre Chorus
Kua whāia ki tōna pūkakī
Kua heke kē ahau ooooo ki te
Moana nui,
Kua kaumātua, kei taku taunga ika,
Kua whai taku mataora, te tūranga matua
Ka hinga, arā, ka ora
Chorus
Written by Troy Kingi
-
Intro:
(Me) tūpou ki te maunga
Horoia e te awa
(E) mōhio ai ō tūpuna
Ka noho pūmau koe
Pāina i te rā
Ki tō tūranga waewae
(E) mōhio ai ō tūpuna
Ka noho pūmau koe
Toitū te whenua
Whatungarongaro te tangata
Ko au te huka, ko te huka ko au
He inuku ahau, ehara i te Ekimo
Chorus
Ko te tahua te atua
Mōhiotia whānuitia
Me kōrero kē e hoa
Toi tangata ki te upoko
He kaitiaki e
Mō ngā uri whakatipu
Mana whenua, mana moana
Mana tangata
Verse
(E te) matamatahuānga, kei te raki o te honu
(Kia kaha Āmerika)
Kua rangona (koe), kua kitea (koe) Kua tāmia
hoki mai tōku iwi e
I patua i te rere o te reo
I tukuna koutou ki te kura patu wairua
Chorus
Kua motu te taka o te roi
Ka pēhi i te noho tauwehe
Kāore he mea i tua atu
i te Māori ka tū ki tōna ūkaipō
Pēhi mai, pēhi atu
Ka ū te tāmore mō ake tonu
Mana whenua, mana moana
Mana tangata
Whawhai tonu mātou ake ake tonu atu
(Ka whawhai tonu)
Ka īnoi ki te marama, ki Tamanuiterā
(Ka īnoi)
Whāia te taniwha, te taniwha
(Whāia x2)
Ka ekea, ka patua, anā ka toa
(Ka eke)
Toitū te whenua
Whatungarongaro te tangata x4
1st verse again outro
Written by Troy Kingi
-
V1
Pēhea te nui o te kohinga
Kia mūhore kē te rākau
Ko tā te ru-ā-nuku tāria kia
taka
Ka utu kore te hua e
Pre
Tūtū ana te pūehu
E whakanui ana i te iti
(Ka) whakarataina te mohoao
Pakapaka ana te whenua, tipunga kore.
Ka tangi a Papa e
Chorus
Ka pēhea e aro tahi (ai)?
Ina kei runga koe i au
E kore a mua e tū
Ki te kore a muri e tika
V2
Me manawanui tonu
nei mātou?
Kua hōhā kē ki tēnei ao
tauiwi
pre
Manawawera kē ahau
Kua hīkarohia te hinu
noho makuhea (ana) te tamaiti
He wā ko pura a kanohi
Kua oho, kua maranga
Chorus
Pakapaka ana te whenua, tipunga kore.
Ka tangi a Papa e
MELODOWNZ VERSE
Written by Troy Kingi with a verse by Mellodownz
-
He tapairu
nō te iwi moemoeā
Kaikaro i te parekura
Huri noa te ao, e pērā anō ana
Turūkanīnī
E tōmina ana tātou
i te aroha, i te pono
Kua mū a runga
te pono e pāoro ake ana
tāukiuki
Tē whawhati i te tāhū kōrero
He utu nui tō te tatau pounamu
Auē rā ngā raumahara
He ārero tokorera
Whakaaraara - tahuna te whenua
Bridge
Tukua taku wairua
ki te awa
ko taku katoa ki ngā uri
Mā rātou e kawe ake nei
Turūkanīnī
Written by Troy Kingi
