"Pōkarekare Ana" is a traditional New Zealand love song, probably communally composed about the time World War I began in 1914. The song is written in Māori and has been translated into English. It enjoys widespread popularity in New Zealand as well as some popularity in other countries.
Eastern Maori politicians Paraire Tomoana and Āpirana Ngata published the song in 1919, but neither of them claimed to have composed it. They explained that it had "emanated North of Auckland" and was popularised by Māori soldiers who were training near Auckland before embarking for the war in Europe.[1]
The Māori words have remained virtually unaltered over the decades, with only the waters in the first line being localized. For example, some versions refer to Lake Rotorua in the North Island. It is then associated with the story of Hinemoa swimming across the lake to her forbidden lover, Tūtānekai, on Mokoia Island. However, there have been many different English translations.
"Pōkarekare Ana" was originally written predominantly in triple time, with the verse in duple time, but has been more commonly heard in duple time since World War II.[1]
The song is very popular in New Zealand, and has been adapted for multiple purposes, including in advertising and by sporting groups. Notable uses include:
"Sailing Away", which promoted New Zealand's 1987America's Cupchallenge, and featured an ensemble choir of famous New Zealanders recording as "All of Us".
It was used in multiple TV advertisements for Air New Zealand in the 1990s (using a recording with Kiri Te Kanawa) and in 2000.[3][4] Air New Zealand also used the song again in 2020 to mark the 80th birthday of New Zealand's national airline, this time, using a recording from Hayley Westenra.[5]
In the 2019 DLC for Civilization VI, Gathering Storm, the main theme for the added Māori civilization is Pōkarekare Ana and Ka Mate.[8] There are four renditions of the theme, each corresponding to a different era in the game. These renditions were composed by Geoff Knorr and Phill Boucher.[9]
On the CD Classical-Crossover Compilation 2011, Hollie Steel sings "Pōkarekare Ana". Steel later released the song as a charity single for those suffering from the 2011 earthquakeinChristchurch, New Zealand.[15]
It was known that the song was introduced to South Korea by New Zealand soldiers fighting in the Korean War. It was eventually given Korean lyrics and a Korean title, "Yeonga" (Korean: 연가), and has become popular across the country.[16][17]
The melody of『Pōkarekare Ana』was used for an Irish hymn to the Blessed Virgin: "A Mhuire Mháthair, sé seo mo ghuí".[2][18]
A homophonous translation into Hebrew was composed in 2007 by Ghil'ad Zuckermann. In this translation the approximate sounds of the Māori words are retained while Hebrew words with similar meanings are used. In this translation, however, "Waiapu" is replaced by "Rotorua" (oto rúakh, Hebrew for "that wind").[19]
![\header { arranger = "Arr.: Hemi Piripata" tagline = ##f }
\paper { #(set-paper-size "a4") }
\layout { indent = 0\cm
\context { \Score \remove "Bar_number_engraver" }
\context { \Voice \remove "Dynamic_engraver" }
}
globalf = { \key f \major \partial 4 \autoBeamOff \time 2/4 }
sopranof = \relative c'' { \globalf
c,4 | a'8 a g g | f2 | a4
c,4 | f8 f e4 | d2 | g4
d8 d | g g f f | e2 | g4
c, | d8 d e e | f2~ | f4 s4
\time 3/4 f4 g a | bes2. |
d,4 f bes | a2. |
f4 g a | g4. d'8 bes bes | e,4 d c | f2. \bar "|."
}
pianoRH = \relative c' { \globalf
c4\pp | <c a'> <bes g'> | <a f'>2 | <a a'>4
<a c> | <c f> <c e> | <bes d>2 | <bes g>4
<bes d>4 | <b g'> <b f'> | <c e>2 | <e g>4
c | <c d>8 [bes] <c e> [bes] | <a f'>2~ | <a f'>4 s4 |
\time 3/4 <c f>4 <d g> <es a> | <d bes'>2. |
<bes d>4 <d f> <d bes'> | <c a'>2. |
<a f'>4 <bes g'> <c a'>8 [cis] | <d g>4. d'8 <d, bes'>4 | <bes e> <bes d> <bes c> | <a f'>2. \bar "|."
}
pianoLH = \relative c { \globalf
c4\pp | <f, c' f> <f c' e> | <f c' f> c' | <f, c' f>
<f f'> | <a f'> <a f'> | <bes f'> a | <g f'>
<g f'> | <g d'> <g d'>8 [g'] | <c, g'>4 g | <c g'>
<a f'> | <bes f'>8 [g] <c a'> [g'] | <f c f,>4 c | <f c f,>4 s4 |
\time 3/4 <f a>4 <f bes> <f c'> | <bes bes,> f f |
<bes, f'> <bes' bes,> <bes, f'> | <f' f,> c f |
<f, f'> <f c'> <f f'> | <bes f'>2 <g f'>4 | <c g'> <c f> <c e> | <f c f,>2. \bar "|."
}
verse = \lyricmode {
Pō – ka – re – ka – re a – na,
ngā wai o Wai – a – pu,
Whi – ti a – tu ko – e hi – ne,
ma – ri – no a – na e. __
E hi – ne e,
ho – ki mai ra.
Ka ma – te a – hau
I te a – ro – ha e.
}
sopranoVoicePart = \new Staff \with { midiInstrument = "clarinet" }
{ \clef "treble" \sopranof }
\addlyrics { \verse }
pianoPart = \new PianoStaff <<
\new Staff = "right" \with { midiInstrument = "acoustic guitar (steel)" } { \clef treble \pianoRH }
\new Staff = "left" \with { midiInstrument = "acoustic guitar (steel)" } { \clef bass \pianoLH }
>>
\score { << \sopranoVoicePart \pianoPart >>
\layout { }
\midi { \tempo 4=96 }
}](http://upload.wikimedia.org/score/s/3/s3mikbupjiu3u6qypybuvdxpnieuciz/s3mikbup.png)
