'E titi te kohiti', he waiata

This waiata appears in He Toa Takitini where it is explained that this is a ‘waiata aroha’ used particularly by women missing their husbands. Apirana Ngata explains:

Ko te korero no te takiwa ki Hauraki tenei waiata; engari kua huri i te motu, a kua waiho hei waiata ma nga wahine e whakamomori, ana ki a ratau whaiaipo. Ina hoki ka hiahia a Terina Turupa, tamahine a Mohi Turei, he minita kaumatua no Ngati-Porou, ki a Paora Haenga Te Whakatihi (tetahi o nga upoko rangatira o Ngati-Porou) hei tane mana, a kaore i whakaaetia, ka waiatatia e ia hei tangi mana, i a ia e whakamomori ana.

For information see here.

Here is the text of this waiata:

E titi te kohiti 
Tiahoaho ana i te uru rakau! 
Kaua, e whae, e aurakina mai, 
Kei whea te makau i koroa i te po? 
Koia taku haere, Me kau tu atu te awa ki Kaputoke.
Ko te matao ra, e tope i raro ra 
He wini tukunga mai non ra, e te hoa. 
Katahi te ngakau ka ata rangona iho 
Motumotu rikiriki te tau o taku ate Ki te tau ra, e, 
nana nei au I turaki a-ika i taku whanaketanga. 
Ko te ao e rere, 
Ko te au herepuke o te pare kei waho. 
He aroha, e Whara, Ka ruru mai ki te whare; 
ka riua atu koe 
Te ripo ki Whakatere; 
ka mutu i konei 
He raro manako atu kite iwi ra, e.


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