Introduction:

An oriori that is appropriate to sing for whānau that may not know the whakapapa or ancestral connections of their pēpi.

Originally composed for artist Robin Slow, this waiata has been adapted for general use. Pīpīwhauroa are well known for laying eggs in the nests of other birds so this oriori is a beautiful way to acknowledge mana and connections even if specific whakapapa information is not known. As pīpīwharauroa chicks are reared by other birds, this analogy can also apply to whāngai pēpi who are nourshed, nurtured and cared for by whānau who are not their biological parents.

The water analogy refers to the DNA 'waters' of the mother and father that joined together to create the wairua of the pēpi. The reference to 'mahi' refers to the unique skills the child inherits from their ancestors and the characteristics the individual child carries.

Kupu:

Inu koe ki hea
Inu au ki te puna waiora o tōku wairua e
Kei hea tō whare
Kei raro i te korowai o ngā kaitiaki o te whānau e
Nō hea tō mahi
Nō ngā ringa o ōku tipuna e
Ko wai rātou
Ko ngā iwi o te kōhanga o te pīpīwharauroa

Translation:

From where did you drink?
I drank from the life giving waters that created my wairua (essence, spirit, soul)
Where is your house?
My house is under the sheltered cloak of the guardians of my family
From where does your mahi come?
It comes from the hands of my ancestors.
Who are they?
They are the people of the nest of the Pīpīwharauroa.