All the lyrics to Te Ao Mārama, with comment from those behind the mini album.

Read the full story behind the project here.

HUA PIRAU (FALLEN FRUIT)

Translated by Tā Tīmoti Kāretu

Ella Yelich-O’Connor: “Hua Pirau– fruit that is rotten, or fruit that is fermented. This translation was the one that came together closer to the time. Some of the lines were quite difficult to communicate for metaphor, because the song is speaking to an older generation about what they have left us with, in terms of fucking up our planet, basically. I say, through the halls of splendour where the apple trees all grew. We changed that to Miro trees – you’ll leave us dancing on the fallen fruit.”

“Hinewehi carries the whole song. It’s amazing. Hēmi and Hannah sing on Fallen Fruit too. They do an amazing soft haka that is so incredible, paying tribute to the ones who have come before, in the context of the language movement, which was so amazing.”

Kei ngā kaipara i te ara / To the ones who paved the way
Te hunga o te whenua taurikura / Who come from the land of prosperity
Tē aro i kaha rawa te moemoeā / We had no idea the dreams we had were far too big
I kaha rawa / Far too big
Ka hīkoi tahi tātou / We will walk together
Tauri pua ki ō tātou pane / Psychedelic garlands in our hair
I te taiao ahurei, i tipu ai te rākau miro / In the realm of splendour, where the miro trees grow
Mahue mai ana ko ngā hua pirau / Where fallen fruit is deserted
Auē! / Alas

Mai i te papa ki te rangi rere ai / From land to sky we shall fly
Honea ana nā te makerewhatu / We’ll disappear in the cover of the rain
Ihumanea mai, pongipongi mai / The great minds and the vapers
Kei te tūmanako rā / And a pocketful of hope
Ka tanu ki wāhi kē / Is planted in another place

HAKA

Takatakahia, takatakahia / March on, march on
Te ara i takoto i te rau tangata / Along the path that was paved by the many
Ki ōku taumata okiokinga / To my esteemed ones
Nau mai, nau ake / Let’s go together
Takahia te ara / Follow the path
Whano ki tua / Forward and beyond
Takatakahia, takatakahia
Takatakahia rā / March on and on

Ka hīkoi tahi tātou / We will walk together
Tauri pua ki ō tātou pane / Psychedelic garlands in our hair
Ka pēhea te aroha i te mea ka ngaro? / But how can I love what I know I am gonna lose?

HINE-I-TE-AWATEA (OCEANIC FEELING)

Translated by Hana Mereraiha

Ella Yelich-O’Connor: “Hine-i-te-Awatea is the maiden of the dawn – goddess of new beginnings. She’s the daughter of the sun. I welcome her at the end of the song.”

He rā paki i Te Pōporo / It’s a fine day at Bulli Point
Pōhutu i te wai pūāhuru / I dive into the water that embraces me
Ka hoki ngā mahara ki te ohinga o taku pāpā (o taku pāpā) / I think about my father when he was a child

He rā paki /It’s a fine day
Kia hīia ake te ika nui / Let’s catch the big one
Ka haea te kiri / Sliding the knife under the skin
Te oha ka mihia / Grateful for this offering

Katoa mai i tai, mai i uta (mai i uta) /And all the living things / Under the sun from land to sea

Ahureinga o te aroha / My love for you is endless
Tā te tamariki mahi, he wāwāhi tahā / Kids will be kids
E te tau, ka tau kē! / Baby boy, you’re super cool
He aha rā kei tua? / What does the future hold?
Ā tōna wā ka mōhio (mōhio) / Time will tell

Tai kato, kao mai ana te whai / The rays are gathering in the bay now
Whakarongo rā ki ngā manu a Rehua / Listen to the cicadas, the children of Rehua
Ngā ngaru o te moana / And the waves of the ocean
Kua tau nei a Hine-raumati / Hine-raumati, the Summer Maiden is here
Kua hora ko te paki o Hewa, o Rūhī ki te ao mārama / And there isn’t a cloud in the sky

E ngā uri o anamata / To my future descendants
Ka rite rā koe ki a wai rā? / Who will you resemble?
Ki ahau e noho nei, e pohewa ana? / Will you be like me, a daydreamer?
Ka noho atu ki tō ipo, kataina ai ngā whetū? / Will you spend time laughing at the stars with your lover?
Anō te whaea i te ohinga (i te ohinga) / Just like your mother when she was a girl

Whitikina koe e te rā, ko tō ātārangi ka mahue ki muri / May the sun shine upon you and cast your shadows behind you
He tānga manawa / Pause and breathe
Mauri ora (ora, ora, ora) / Live well
Kia hiwa (hiwa, hiwa, hiwa) / And tune in

CODA

I kitea rānei te māramatanga e āta whāia ana? / Did you find the enlightenment you seek?
Ka aro koe ki ngā tohu o te taiao / Heed the signs of the environment
Ki te ākau he ahikā / On the beach you’ll find your fort
Nā te tāwhaowhao ka mura / The firewood will be lit
Me āta kī mai kua eke rā te wā / You’ll let me know when the time is right
Nau mai rā, e Hine-i-te-awatea / Welcome, Hine-i-te-awatea, the Light Maiden

MATA KOHORE (STONED AT THE NAIL SALON)

Translated by Hana Mereraiha

Hana Mereraiha: “Stoned At The Nail Salon is a metaphor for over-thinking stuff – she’s like, am I just over-thinking it, or am I just stoned? Mata Kohore means sort of red eyes but also blurry-eyes, so when you’re not quite seeing clearly – maybe you’re over-thinking, or not seeing things so clearly.

“She has a line in where she’s talking to her future daughter, and she’s saying; what would you look like – will you have my dreamer’s disposition? I loved that dedication to her descendants.”

He oha nā Hiwa ka takoto i te mataaho / Hiwa, the wishing star’s gift lies at my window sill
Mō te tūpono i hē te ara i whāia / In case I chose the wrong path
E arohaina ana te ao e noho nei au / I love the life I’m living
Te kurī taringa pīkari, kei te rapu tonu i te mea ngaro / There’s my attentive dog but still I search for what is missing
Kua roa e takahia ana tēnei huarahi / I’ve been on this path for some time
Atu i konei, ki hea atu rā? / I’ve yet to decide where to from here

Ko ngā hine rerehua, ka rerehu noa atu / The beautiful girls, they will fade
Ko te ao hurihuri tēnei e huri ana / And the world will continue to turn

E aua! / I don’t know
Kohore ana pea aku mata / Maybe I’m just blurry-eyed
Kohore ana pea aku mata (mata) / Maybe I’m just blurry-eyed

Takoto kau i tō moenga, he whakakai i te taringa / I lay naked in your bed, wearing only earrings
Puta ana i te pō, kanikani tahi ai / We’d go out dancing at night
Ka mahuta te rā, kua tata mai te ahungarua / The sun will rise and we’ll grow older
Ko koe tonu tērā taku whakawairangi / You’re still the one I’m crazy for
Kua roa e takahia ana tēnei huarahi / I’ve been on this path for some time
Atu i konei, ki hea atu rā? / I’ve yet to decide where to from here

He wā tōna ka rata koe ki puoro kē atu / There will come a time when your taste in music will change
Ko te ao hurihuri tēnei e huri ana / But the world will continue to turn

E aua! / I don’t know
Kohore / Blurry-eyed
Kohore ana pea aku mata (mata) / Maybe I’m just blurry-eyed

Kia pai mai rā / Oh, make it good
Kia pai mai rā / Oh, make it good
Taiāwhio ana i te ao hurihuri mō āke tonu e / Circling round and round forever
Atu i konei, he aha te aha / From here on out, wherever that leads to

Noho atu ki te hunga nā rātou koe i poipoi / Spend time with the people who nurtured you
Ko te ao hurihuri tēnei e huri ana / The word will continue to turn
E aua! /I don’t know
Kohore ana pea aku mata / Maybe I’m just blurry-eyed
Kohore ana pea aku mata (mata) / Maybe I’m just blurry-eyed

TE ARA (THE PATH)

Translated by Hana Mereraiha

Ella Yelich-O’Connor: “Te Ara, The Path. This is my favourite one.”

I whānau mai au i te tau nihoroa / I was born in a time of scarcity
I te Kāinga / At home
Moepapa ana, i te kohiko o te kāmera / Nightmares caused by the flash of cameras
Noho tahanga ana i te motu / I sit in solitude on an island
E karawhiu mai ana a Tāwhiri / Tāwhiri, the god of the elements, is raging
Hei aha māku ngā whakapōrearea / But I won’t be bothered by any distractions
Ka tūkinotia ngā kīngi o Īhipa / The kings of Egypt are being desecrated
I te whare taonga o Te Āporo Nui / In the chamber of treasures in New York City
Kei hea rā te tikanga, e hoa mā? / Have we lost our way, my friends?
Ehara au i te kaiwhakaora, tino kore nei / I am not your saviour
Kia noho au hei whakaāio whenua, tino kore nei / Nor am I the pacificator

E noho matakerekere ana / We are caught in a daze
I ahatia ō tātou moemoeā? / What’s happened to our dreams?

Whitikina te ara tika (ara, ara, ara) / May the sun shine upon the right path
Kaiwhakaora / The saviour
Whitikina te ara tika / May the sun shine upon the right path

TE AO MĀRAMA (SOLAR POWER)

Translated by Hēmi Kelly

Hēmi Kelly: “I love the warmth of summer so it was easy for me to connect with the lyrics. It talks about leaving your worries behind and moving into a positive space. That reminded me of the transition in our creation narratives of moving from darkness, te pō, into the world of light, te ao mārama. That’s a transition we continually navigate throughout our lives.”

E ngau mai ana te hōtoke / The winter chill bites me
Waiho mai ahau kia noho / Let me be
Haere, hoatu koutou / Go on ahead, without me
Nau mai te waru whakahihiko / I welcome the electric vibe summer brings
Me puta rā? Ehara / Shall I go out? Hell yeah
Hanahana ana ko taku kiri / My skin is glowing
Noho ana i te rēhia / In the pursuit of pleasure
Kei taku taha taku kaingākau / With my lover at my side
E te tī, te tā, tahuti mai rā / Let’s go, one and all
Ki te ina i ngā hīhī o te rā / To bathe in the sun’s rays
Taku rite, ko Hinemoana / I’m like Hinemoana, the Ocean Maiden

E puta i te pō ki te ao mārama (rama, rama, rama) / Let’s escape the darkness and enter the world of light
Titiro ki mua, hoake tāua / Let’s look and move forward
Wai uri, wai pounamu / Aquamarine coloured waters shimmer
Kani ana ngā mōrehu / As the survivors dance
Whiua aku māharahara ki waho rā / I throw away all of my troubles
Hinengaro wātea / My mind is free

Hanahana ana ko taku kiri / My skin is glowing
Noho ana i te rēhia / In the pursuit of pleasure
Kei taku taha taku kaingākau / With my lover at my side

E te tī, te tā, tahuti mai rā / Let’s go, one and all
Ki te ina i ngā hīhī o te rā / To bathe in the sun’s rays
Taku rite, ko Hinemoana / I’m like Hinemoana, the Ocean Maiden

E puta i te pō ki te ao mārama (rama, rama, rama) / Let’s escape the darkness and enter the world of light
Piri mai Hine-raumati / Stay close Hine-raumati, the Summer Maiden

Taukamo kia puta rā koe ki te ao mārama, rama, mārama / Blink and enter the world of light