Mōteatea – Kaore Te ki patu

Kaore te ki patu te makere noa i te ngutu
He porutu waihoe i a Kawana i runga e
Matau ana roto i te hau korero
E herengia koia te rakau ka whiria e
Te ata whakarangona nga mahi a te arero
Ko to tinana ra i waiho atu i tawhiti e
Ko to pai reo kau ka tuku mai ki ahau
Kia ahu ai atu e arotau mai ana e
Ka te tiriwa te ripa ki Akarana
Ka puawhea te rae ki Tautoro ka whakamutu ano
Nga rangi o te whakarongo e

This is a waiata composed by Hone Heke rearranging the words written by others to deliver his message about the fickleness of communication. At this time the Government had shifted from Kororāreka to Auckland. In its distancing, this lessened Hone Heke’s importance as a political figure and a risk to the Government. The tune was added by Hone Elliot after extensive research and korero with Ngapuhi kaumatua.