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Last updated 10 February 2001.

The New Zealand Anthem

New Zealand has two national anthems: God Save the Queen and God Defend New Zealand. There are two official sets of lyrics for God Defend New Zealand: the English lyrics, and the Māori lyrics, reproduced here. The two songs are not translations of each other. I do not have a translation for Aotearoa.

AOTEAROA

1. E Ihoa Atua,
O nga Iwi! Matoura,
Ata whakarongona;
Me aroha roa.
Kia hua ko te pai;
Kia tau to atawhai;
Manaakitia mai
Aotearoa.

2. Ona mano tangata
Kiri whereo, kiri ma,
Iwi Maaori Pakeha
Repeke katoa,
Nei ka tono ko nga he
Mau e whakaahu ke,
Kia ora marire
Aotearoa.

3. Tona mana kia tu!
Tona kaha kia u;
Tona rongo hei paku
Ki te ao katoa
Aua rawa nga whawhai,
Nga tutu a tata mai;
Kia tupu nui ai
Aotearoa.

4. Waiho tona takiwa
Ko te ao marama;
Kia whiti tona ra
Taiawhio noa.
Ko te hae me te ngangau
Meinga kia kore kau;
Waiho i te rongo mau
Aotearoa.

5. Tona pai me toito;
Tika rawa, pono pu;
Tona noho, taha tu;
Iwi no Ihoa.
Kaua mona whakama;
Kia hau te ingoa;
Kia tu hei tauira;
Aotearoa.

Māori Language Home Page | God Defend New Zealand

These lyrics reproduced from The New Zealand Official Yearbook 1998.