SPFA - South Pacific Festival of Arts

Mr. Ikinepule Etuata, Leader of the Group. (Mr. Etuata was the Education Officer for Education Department) speaks in Niuean and English to introduce the performance by a group from Niue. He told the audience the reason why he spoke in vagahau was for them to know the words of his language and asked Tahafa to translate

Then Mr. Tahafa Talagi speaks in English and introduces a song, which is about the Niuean men who joined the Māori Contingent in World War I. After the song, he explains the song is about joining with the Māori people to achieve victory and their wish to return to Niue.

[Transcription and translation by Mr. Tahafa Talagi who was one of the members of the Niue Delegation and a Cultural Specialist, Interpreter and Translator.]

Tau Māori mo e tau palagi
Kua uta e pule toka i fe
Kua uta toka i Kalipoli
To tau a tautolu mo Niu Silani
Poko hoko hai ka toka ki ai.

Kua fakamohogia mai haku ola
Mo ta tukulua ki Niue
Mo ta tukulua
Ki Niue e.......
Ki Niue nei

English Translation:

To all the Māori and the palagi
Where is our authority and power
Has it been moved to Gallipoli
We're here in New Zealand
To join you to fight this war
And hope to be victorious.

We're here to join forces with you
We will go to battle together
We hope for victory
Before we return to Niue
To Niue, to Niue our homeland.