Hui-A-Iwi

There’s a Hui on our Marae and the whanau start to come 

The karanga has gone forward and the pa begins to hum 

All the ladies bring their pinnies and the men their butcher knives 

Time to get the kitchen rolling before company arrives 

There’s the sound of laughter, and somewhere a radio’s turned on 

Dishes clattering, there’s chattering, the shopping list has gone 

Men set up the dining room with trestle tables and long seats 

Others fire up the burners, others go to fetch the meats

Soon the kitchen fills with people busy doing what they know 

Everyone has things to do and they all know just where things go 

Soon the meats arrive and gets chopped up, the vegetables are here 

Here’s the van with all the groceries, the welcome time draws near 

Outside on the paepae tapu kaumatua sit and wait 

Some are dozing, others talking with their eyes upon the gate 

On the road outside the gate the guests are gathering in groups 

Ever vigilant directing things the Maori Warden troops 

Everyone has come from far and near to visit here today 

Tribal politics are challenging - all need to have a say 

Once the mihimihi’s over and the korero all starts 

Through debate and controversy burdens lift from weary hearts 

When the final speaker’s had his say and all has been resolved 

There’s a lightness of the spirit from all those who were involved 

Then across the marae tapu sounds of karanga on high 

Calling all the manuhiri to come in and have a kai 

When the last guest has departed and the clean up’s all been done 

Echoes of the Hui slowly depart with the setting sun 

Silence descends on our marae - all the whanau’s homeward bound 

But they’ll all be back when next another Hui comes around