Tūtira Mai Ngā Iwi

"Tūtira Mai Ngā Iwi", or "Tūtira Mai", is a New Zealand Māori folk song (or waiata) written in the 1950s by Canon Wiremu Te Tau Huata. The song became popular after being selected by New Zealand's Ministry of Education for inclusion in schoolbooks.[1]

"Tūtira Mai Ngā Iwi"
Song
LanguageMāori
Written1950s
Genrefolk music
Songwriter(s)Canon Wiremu Te Tau Huata

History

Huata wrote "Tūtira Mai Ngā Iwi" while part of an Ecumenical Movement in the late 1950s. He was driving from Wairoa, Hawke's Bay with his children and passed Lake Tūtira. He would sing the lyrics and his children would repeat them, learning it as they drove to Napier.[2] The waiata eventually grew in popularity through Huata performing it in churches and Bible classes. By the 1960s, the New Zealand government's Ministry of Education picked up the waiata and started publishing it for use in New Zealand's schools without Huata's consent and didn't credit him as the author.[3] As a result after 50 years of being used in schools, his daughter revealed that some of the lyrics were published incorrectly.[1] On 28 May 2020 the song was published on YouTube, performed by members of the navy, army and airforce bands in a musical partnership between the New Zealand and United States armed forces. The song's composer was Wiremu Te Tau Huata who was a New Zealand military chaplain to the 28th Maori Battalion. His whānau gave permission for the waiata to be used.[4]

Meaning

While there is some conjecture about the exact words in the song[1] (a situation matching that of many older folk songs worldwide) there is general agreement that it is a song of unity, with the repeated refrain of "tātou tātou e" ( "all of us, all of us"). The song is often used by New Zealanders in times when standing together and supporting each other is appropriate. The song was, for example, used to show support with the New Zealand Muslim community after the Christchurch mosque shootings.[5]

Rugby

In 2017, the New Zealand Rugby Union started a campaign for the 2017 British and Irish Lions tour for New Zealand national rugby union team fans to adopt "Tūtira Mai Ngā Iwi" as a rallying chant to try to outsing the British and Irish Lions fans. The campaign was led by the New Zealand Police constable and former All Black Glen Osborne.[6] However the attempt was poorly received by All Blacks fans.[7] The Lions fans also hijacked the song changing the chorus from "Tatou, Tatou" to "Lions, Lions".[8][9][10] The New Zealand media criticised the NZRU for attempting to manufacture a favourable atmosphere, believing that "Tūtira Mai Ngā Iwi" was an inappropriate choice.[11]

References
  1. "Watch: Daughter of Tutira Mai Nga Iwi composer says we've been singing the song wrong for over 50 years". TVNZ. Retrieved 2018-02-01.
  2. "Kawe Kōrero sings Tūtira Mai with composers daughter". Maori Television. 2017-07-07. Retrieved 2018-02-01.
  3. Jesse Mulligan, 1–4pm (2017-07-05). "Have we been singing 'Tutira Mai Nga Iwi' wrong?". Radio New Zealand. Retrieved 2018-02-01.
  4. "Tūtira mai ngā iwi boosts US, NZ military ties: 'It's so infectious'". Radio New Zealand. 2020-05-29. Retrieved 2020-05-30.
  5. Video of "Tūtira Mai Ngā Iwi" being sung outside Dunedin mosque in aftermath of Christchurch shootings
  6. "Video: All Blacks star turned cop Glen Osborne stars in brilliant Lions tour version of Tutira Mai Nga Iwi". TVNZ. Retrieved 2018-02-01.
  7. "In The Lions' Den: All Blacks Tutira Mai chant hits a sour note". New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 2018-02-01.
  8. Gavin Mairs (2017-07-06). "Lions supporters to outnumber All Blacks fans in deciding Test in Auckland". The Telegraph. London. Retrieved 2018-02-01.
  9. "Lions win the song contest". The Rugby Paper. Retrieved 2018-02-01 – via PressReader.com.
  10. Wall, Jamie. "A tale of two chants: How the Lions tour is getting louder by the game". Rugbypass.com. Retrieved 2018-02-02.
  11. "Tutira Mai has no place as a sporting chant". Stuff.co.nz. 2017-07-08. Retrieved 2018-02-01.
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