This is made up of some lyrics written by Keri Kaa for an oriori she wrote for the Kahukiwa whānau, published in a book called Oriori (by Roma Potiki and Robyn Kahukiwa). Keri gave permission for Ariana to record a version of that oriori on her Whaea album in 2002. A few years later, those kupu were adapted by Ariana’s husband Ross Calman, and he added in some other kupu for a naming ceremony and blessing for his godson, Bodhi. This combination of lyrics has now been turned into this waiata by Ariana, and rewritten into the Kāi Tahu dialect. It can be sung as an oriori, or spoken as a karakia, or blessing for a pēpi.

Kupu:

Nau mai rā e te tau e
Ko koe rā te pūāwaitaka
O kā moemoeā o rātou mā
Kua takahia te ara whānui
A Tānenuiāraki e

Inā, kua tae mai koe
hei karere mō tātou
Ki te taiao, aotūroa e
Hei manu kōrero
Mō tō reaka
Hei kawe i kā rau mō te mātauraka e

Nau mai e te mokopuna
Ahakoa haere koe ki hea,
ki hea rānei
Ahakoa haere koe ki te aha,
ki te aha rānei
Kia māia tō tū, Kia manawanui,
mā ō tīpuna koe e manaaki, e tiaki e

Tūturu whakamaua kia tīna
Tīna
Haumi e!
Hui e!
Tāiki e!

Welcome beloved
You are the flowering
of the dreams of the ancestors
who have trodden the wide path
of Tāne

You have arrived
to carry all of our aspirations
into the wide world
You will speak
for your generation
And carry on the knowledge

Welcome child
Whereever you may go
Whatever you may do
Be strong, be steadfast
And may your ancestors watch over and protect you

And so may all gathered affirm this