(He kawa — the name of this prayer)

Here I sit alone
and look out
to the top of the nose
of Tutewha, wriggling
like a lizard's leg.

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You sought it
and sent for me to come
to carve it
with Uetonga's chisel.
Wait, send for your wife
your tattooed skin.
Rejoice and dance.
It is for me to ornament it,
for men to caress,
to be carefully fondled.
Man with no ornament,
stretch out here.
Be struck with the mallet.
Tangaroa rises.
Tangaroa rises.
E he.
One,
Lift up the kawa.
Two,
Lift up the kawa.

You are fetched
to Whititekore.
There is your possession,
there is your offence,
there is your tapu,
the offering,
to the root,
to the rootlet,
to the vine,
to the taproot.
Where are you going
Torino Tinaku?
Going to the company of Tane.
Torino Tinaku,
Where do you come from?
Te Kawa ritoro riinei,
Welcome.
Welcome puhipuhi manuka.
Sharp is the bleeding stroke,
descendant of a god.
I am a chief, a leader.
Tahatiti,
Ruatapu,
Rongomai,
Kahukura,
I stand, eh.
Mine is the tattooed head.