DESCRIPTION:
Origin Of Te Waiata o Totara Tree

The place, Tiniroto! The year, 1983! On the family farm known as the bar-20.
Our group who were known as KI TE TAHA MAORI were camped on the farm at that time. I woke at 3 in the morning and all the whanau were asleep in there tents, I was sleeping in the van and I grabbed the guitar and began writing the lyrics to the song Totara Tree. Lyrics just flowed, so i got out and i sat beside the van. It was a breezy morning, a misty morning and the whenua at the Bar-20 was surrounded by Totara Trees,
I recall a feeling of sadness and thoughts of our tupuna and wondered what they might have been doing at a time like this.
Totara Tree was also inspired by a dear friend and whanau, Moetahi Jones from Tarere Marae who opened his whare up to our group to do things pertaining to Tikanga and Te Reo Maori. The lyrics and most of the tune was done on this same morning and the rest, I opened up to the group Ki Te Taha Maori at Mangahanea Marae. There we were attendeing a hui concerning Te Hikoi Ki Waitangi 1984.
Korero Whakakapi:

Many people have claimed to have written this Waiata . I personally deem this to be an honor. Also people have called from all over the country asking if they could use some of the words as inscriptions on their loved ones head stones.. I believe as Maori we all have a right to access our Waiata, our Korero, our Karakia as this immortalizes the imaginary and the symbolism of our taonga as Maori...

HEI HA!!!!

Wiremu Nia Nia.

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