Katahi ti

May 31, 2026

This traditional chant isn’t easily translated, because it is symbolic and metaphorical. The chant speaks about the harmony of the stars and the sea, and it includes the message that one must be diligent to succeed.

Māori
Ka tahi tī, ka rua tī
Ka haramai te pati tore
Ka rauna, ka rauna
Ka noho te kiwi kiwi
He pō, he wai, takitaki
Nō pī, nō pā, kahuia mai
Kai ana te whetū
Kai ana te marama
Ko te tio rere i runga rā papa
Kōtore wīwī wāwā
Heke, heke te manu
Ki tōna tauranga
Tihei mauri ora

English
One fantail, two fantails
Arrive and gather
In the undergrowth
The kiwi kiwi settles
Night, water, soothing sounds
From this and that place, drawn together as one
The stars gaze down,
And the moon keeps vigil
A cry rings out up high
Chirping and calling
The bird descends
To its resting place
Tihei mauri ora!