Tēnei tāku poi

Tēnei tāku poi porotiti titaha

Ka kawea purakau ki ngā iwi o te motu

Whakarongo ki te patu

Ki te kupu kōrero o tāku manu poi e

Nō Hine-titama, no Hine-ahu-one

Nō Rānginui me Pāpā e

Nō Hemo-te-rangi, nō Tahu Pōtiki

Tāku manu kōrero

Ka whakaeke marae, whakaeke paepae

Taku manu kōrero

Tēnei taku manu tukutuku

Tēnei taku manu poi e

Tēnei taku poi porotiti titaha

Ka kawea purakau ki ngā iwi o te motu

Whakarongo ki te patu

Ki te kupu kōrero o taku manu poi e

Nō Hine-titama, nō Hine-ahu-one

Nō Ranginui me Pāpā e

Nō Hemo-te-rangi, nō Tahu Pōtiki

Tāku manu kōrero

Ka whakaeke marae, whakaeke paepae

Tāku manu kōrero

Tēnei tāku manu tukutuku

Tēnei tāku manu poi e

Our Kapa Haka Roopu are currently learning this poi waiata which was composed by Te Taumata Rangatira of which two of our tutors were members of in Ōtautahi. It tells the story of the poi and it's journey travelling throughout Aotearoa. The composition mentions the various ancestors of the poi ' Hine-titama' and 'Hine-ahu-one' who were Māori maidens. The waiata also acknowledges Rānginui(Sky father), Papatūānuku(Earth mother). Each of the tūpuna mentioned played a significant role with the traditions of the poi. 'Tahu Pōtiki' and 'Hemo-Te-Rangi' are prominent chiefs/Rangatira within Kai Tahu history. Kia ora ki a Jahmaine M Cummings rāua ko Mahia Brown.

“Tēnei Tāku Poi” (sometimes known as Taku Manu Poi) — and it holds deep meaning both culturally and poetically.

Here’s a breakdown of its meaning and significance:

🌺 Overall Meaning

This waiata celebrates the poi — not just as a dance object, but as a symbol of storytelling, communication, and whakapapa (ancestry).
The singer describes their poi as a “manu kōrero” — a bird of speech, a messenger — that carries stories, culture, and identity to people across the land (ki ngā iwi o te motu).

In essence, it’s about the power of Māori performance and oral tradition — the way knowledge, whakapapa, and values are passed down through song, movement, and storytelling.

✨ Line-by-Line Meaning

Tēnei tāku poi porotiti titaha
This is my spinning poi, twirling gracefully
→ The poi is introduced as something precious and active — alive with motion and purpose.

Ka kawea pūrākau ki ngā iwi o te motu
It carries stories to the people of the land
→ The poi becomes a messenger — spreading Māori stories, values, and history across Aotearoa.

Whakarongo ki te patu / Ki te kupu kōrero o tāku manu poi e
Listen to the rhythm, listen to the words of my speaking bird (poi)
→ Invites the audience to listen — both to the physical rhythm (the beat of the poi) and to the deeper message (the words and stories it tells).

Nō Hine-titama, nō Hine-ahu-one
Descended from Hine-titama and Hine-ahu-one
→ Refers to whakapapa to the first women of Māori creation traditions:

• Hine-ahu-one: the first woman, shaped by Tāne from the earth.
  
  

• Hine-titama: her daughter, who became Hine-nui-te-pō, the guardian of the underworld.
  This links the poi (and therefore the performer) to atua wāhine (female deities) and creation itself.
  
  

Nō Ranginui me Pāpā e
Descended from Ranginui (Sky Father) and Papatūānuku (Earth Mother)
→ Anchors the song in the cosmic genealogy of Māori — the ultimate ancestors.

Nō Hemo-te-rangi, nō Tahu Pōtiki
Descended from Hemo-te-rangi and Tahu Pōtiki
→ Names ancestors of Ngāi Tahu, connecting the waiata to southern iwi whakapapa.

Tāku manu kōrero
My speaking bird
→ The poi is again personified — the bird of speech that carries and spreads stories.

Ka whakaeke marae, whakaeke paepae
As it enters the marae and ascends the orators’ bench
→ Refers to the poi (and performer) bringing its message into formal spaces of communication and ceremony, like on a marae.
It highlights that poi is a form of oratory — storytelling through performance.

Tēnei tāku manu tukutuku / Tēnei tāku manu poi e
This is my flying bird, this is my poi
→ Finishes by reaffirming the poi as a sacred, living vessel of expression — something that soars, connects, and communicates.

🕊️ Themes

• Poi as storytelling — carrying Māori knowledge, whakapapa, and values.
  
  

• Whakapapa (genealogy) — linking performer, poi, and people to atua and ancestors.
  
  

• Mana wāhine — acknowledging powerful female origins (Hine-titama, Hine-ahu-one).
  
  

• Communication and connection — the poi as a manu kōrero, a symbolic messenger across iwi and generations.
  
  

🧡 In short

The waiata is saying:

“Through my poi, I carry the voices, stories, and lineage of my people — from the atua to the ancestors — to be heard across the land.”

It honours the spiritual and cultural role of poi, showing that it’s far more than a dance — it’s a living link to identity, heritage, and expression.