Te Pūrakau o Tuteremoana

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Below is the first verse of an old chant/ karakia 500 years old ‘Te Oriori o Tuteremoana.’  Tūteremoana was the most significant descendant of Tara, who was the spearhead of Ngāi Tara, a Rangitāne hapū. Ngāi Tara occupied land all the way from Te Tauihu to Hawkes Bay, but mainly resided in Te Tauihu and Wellington, hence Wellington in Te Reo Māori, ‘Te Whanganui a Tara’, or, ‘the great bay of Tara.’  

The karakia outlines a set of foundations establishing the caring environment for the child from conception to adulthood. It reflects a Maori Philosophy of achieving wellness to ensure the child will be fully prepared for life's challenges. 

The eight verses of the chant underpin a Māori worldview that positions the child within a collective of whānau, whenua, and whakapapa, where nurturing is both a cultural responsibility and a relational practice. For RTLB, this aligns with mahi that centres the whole child, recognising that learning and wellbeing are shaped by the environments, relationships, and cultural narratives surrounding them. The lullaby speaks to intentional caregiving - soothing, guiding, and protecting while also acknowledging the practical realities faced by whānau and those entrusted with a child’s upbringing. From a Rangitāne perspective, these values continue to hold relevance today, reminding us that raising mokopuna well requires balance: honouring tikanga and mātauranga Māori alongside responsive, everyday supports that enable children to thrive in their learning, identity, and sense of belonging. 

Te Oriori o Tuteremoana | The Lullaby of Tuteremoana

Nāu mai e tama, kia mihi atu au; 

I haramai rā koe i te kunenga mai o te tangata 

I roto i te āhuru mōwai, ka taka te pae o Huaki-pouri; 

Ko te whare hangahanga tēnā a Tane-nui-a-rangi  

I te one i kura-waka, i tātāia ai te Puhi-ariki,  

Te Hiringa-matua, te Hiringa-tipua, te Hiringa-tawhito-rangi; 

Ka karapinepine te pūtoto ki roto te whare wahiawa 

Ka whakawhetū tama i a ia, 

Ka riro mai a Rua-i-te-pukenga, a Rua-i-te horahora; 

Ka hōkai tama i a ia, koia hōkai Rauru-nui,  

Hōkai Rauru-whiwhia, hōkai Rauru maruaitu, 

Ka mārō tama i te ara namunamu ki taiao; 

Ka kōkiri tama i a ia ki te aotūroa,  

E tama, ē ī!   

Welcome, o son, let me greet you;

You have indeed come from the origin of mankind.

From the cozy haven, emerged out from the barrier of Darkness-ajar

Out of the abode fashioned by the renowned Tane-of-the-heavens

On the sands at the Crimson Bowl, wherein the Exalted-one rejoiced,

In the implanting of parenthood, sacred implanting, 

heavenly implanting in times remote;

‘Twas then blood welled forth flood-like to the house exit;

Thus like the stars, o son, were you conceived,

Acquired the recess-of–the mine, the recess of the spirit; 

You then strived, o son, strived for a Rauru-of-renown,

Strived for a self-possessed Rauru, and strived against the fate Rauru

You, o son, remained steadfast on the narrow pathway to the wide world;

Then, o son, you leaped forth into the enduring world,

O son, ah me!