Words and Music: Earth the slumbering pūriri

Maori nature ancient kea bird

In the Beginning

Earth Breath on me

Earth the cool breath of life

Earth the slumbering pūriri

Earth the misty valley

Earth the departed sun

Earth the tingling blue sky

Maori nature ancient

Earth the dark sheen of a woman river

Earth the mottling tides tumbling ashore

Earth the sweeping godwits

Earth our home

Earth the giving land

Papatūanuku

Maori nature ancient

From Words of a Kaumātua by Haare Williams, edited by Witi Ihimaera

Dr Haare Williams MNZM has been Dean of Māori Education and Māori Advisor to the Chief Executive at Unitec. He was General Manager of Aotearoa Radio. He set up a joint venture with the South Seas Film and Television School to train Te Reo speakers as producers and operators in film and television. He has worked closely with iwi claimant communities and was responsible for waka construction and assembly at Waitangi for the 1990 commemorations. He has published poetry, exhibited painting and written for film and television. He was a cultural advisor for the Mayor of Auckland and is Amorangi at the Auckland War Memorial Museum.

Published by Content Catnip

Content Catnip is a quirky internet wunderkammer written by an Intergalactic Space Māori named Content Catnip. Join me as I meander through the quirky and curious aspects of history, indigenous spirituality, the natural world, animals, art, storytelling, books, philosophy, travel, Māori culture and loads more.

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