[Introl]
Ko au tei…
Nō te henua nei…
E Atua, arataki mai…
(Oh yeah… island soul…)
[Verse 1]
Born where the ocean call my name
kuki airani e, it runs through my veins
No runga i te vaka o tōku au tupuna
I carry their strength, their mana within me
Matangi mārie, through the trees it sings
‘Āriki vāine in everything
From the maunga down to te moana
This is my home, my henua aroa
[Pre-Chorus]
Kāre au e ngaropoina
I taku peu, taku reo rā
Every step that I take today
Is guided by where I’m from, I’ll say
[Chorus]
I stand tall, I stand proud (proud)
Ka tū au, kāre e akamā (no shame now)
Ko au tei, nō te enua nei
Ko toku ora, ko toku nei
Taku peu i roto i te ngākau
Taku reo, e reo rangatira
Anywhere that I go (I go)
kuki airani, ko toku kainga
[Post-Chorus Hook]
E tu! E tu! kāre e mataku
E tu! E tu! kia pakari rā
Ko au tei! Ko au tei!
Nō te henua nei!
Taku peu! Taku reo!
E vai nei i roto i au
Taku peu! Taku reo!
That’s my identity now
[Verse 2]
Ura flows when I move my feet
Tangi te pā’ū, I feel that beat
Rima rāranga, stories I hold
Of my people, courageous and bold
Te rā e pā mai, te moana mārama
Heaven lives in my henua
Avaiki roots inside my soul
No matter where, they make me whole
[Pre-Chorus]
Kāre au e akaruke
I taku peu taketake
Even when I walk far away
My culture lives in me every day
[Chorus]
I stand tall, I stand proud (yeah)
Ka tū au, kāre e akamā (no shame now)
Ko au tei, nō te henua nei
E tu au, kāre e taka’i
Taku peu i roto i te ngākau
Taku reo, e reo rangatira
Anywhere that I go
kuki airani, ko toku kainga
[Bridge]
Taku reo… kāre e mate…
I roto i au… ka vai ua…
From my lips to the next generation
Ko koe toku foundation
E TU! kia pakari!
Kia ū ki tōu peu Māori!
From the past we rise again
Our identity will never end
[Final Chorus ]
I stand tall, I stand proud
Ka tū au, kāre e akamā (no shame now)
Ko au tei, nō te henua nei
Forever this is part of me
Taku peu i roto i te ngākau
Taku reo, e reo rangatira
Anywhere that I go
kuki airani, ko toku kainga
[Outro ]
Ko au tei… nō te enua nei…
Taku peu… taku reo…
Ka tū au… kāre e akamā…(no shame now)
This is who I’ll always be…
IICULTXRE
