Te Aroha

Te Aroha is a famous waiata (traditional song) sung by the Māori people from New Zealand. There are different types of waiatas depending on their content, for example, waiata oriori (lullabies and songs to tell children about their origins), waiata tangi (laments, for instance, about death, a disease, a defeat in a battle, a rotten crop, etc.) and waiata aroha (songs of love but also of lack of affection or betrayal). These are only some examples since there seems to be a kind of waiata for every aspect of life. In fact, music and dance have an important role in traditional Māori society to express who they are, to tell stories or historical events and to convey a particular message. It is quite common to include a waiata during or after a public speech and you have probably seen rugby players sing and dance a haka (ceremonial dance with no weapons) before matches but also in occasion such as weddings, funerals and powhiri (a traditional welcome). Waiatas and Hakas, as well as many other things in Māori tradition, have a mythological origin and are related to a deity (atua).

Te Aroha is a song with a loving and peaceful message to people. Click on the images to get the translation into English.

Here you have got the sound file.

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