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KI MUA album
All songs written by Opetaia Foa'i with exception of 'Pate Pate'
which was wriiten by Opetaia Foa’i
and Malcolm Smith, the beginning of 'Vaka
atua' and 'Aue Kapaku' which are
traditional Tokelauan songs.
- Ki mua
- Lua afe
- Ke ke kitea
- Pate pate
- Hea la
koe iei
Pate mo tou agaga
- Vaka atua
- Tagaloa
- Kaleve
Saglogalo ake
- Aue
Kapaku
- Kau
tufuga fai vaka
Track
1/ Ki mua (to the
fore/future)
This song is dedicated to my mother and father and those
of their generation who at great personal sacrifice
brought their families to New Zealand. It is in
appreciation of their courage and determination in
adjusting to a different language, different culture
along with other disadvantages in order to give their
children a better education.
taunuku mai i tatou i tenei nuku fou
te kehekehe mai
faigata o te olaga te fakafita a tatou
hoga hoga mai
e fia malamalama ki tatou
i te gagana ma na uiga o ki latou
fakalogologo ki ei
fakatu ai au tautahi
taumahai tatou tokolahi
faka holoholo ki ei
e fano ai au i toku mafaufau
i te kukula mate filemu
tokaga ki mea oku matua
te fehili kua laga a tu ki mua
ko matou e fia kai ite kavei
te malau pulaka ma te fekei
kua manatua na taimi ma na uiga fakafiafia
miti miti mai
te mimita lahi ki haiga ko na uiga fakatahi
fitikitiki mai
galulue mai ki mua nei
tahahao mai ki mua nei
pehepehe mai ki mua nei
fatele mai ki mua nei
Track
2/ Lua afe (2,000)
A Song
to celebrate the new millennium. It is a wish for people
of all colours, races and religions to come together with
no prejudices, just a willingness to live together. This
agreement is celebrated at the break of the new
millennium.
hauni mai
heheke mai
ko tagata ianu kehe
na tagata ianu kehe
tatou tagata nei
koutou tagata nei
o fakatahi
o fano atu (Ki te) Lua afe
(ki te) Lua afe
Track
3/ Ke ke kitea (so you
can see)
It is
a great concern that the small Islands in the Pacific,
each with it’s own unique culture, will succumb to
the effects of "Global warming". As the
temperature of the sea rises the tiny algae that feed the
coral are unable to survive causing the Islands to
gradually disappear. Eventually the people of these
Islands will be forced to leave and entire cultures will
be lost. This song is a personal invitation to all those
in positions of power to come and visit these Islands so
they can see how beautiful they are and how happy the
people are who live on them. I believe if they did just
that, they would help prevent this disaster.
e ui lava ki tatou e mamao
e tatau ai koe ke ahiahi mai
ke ke kitea
ite gali otenei lalolagi
ke ke kitea
ite matou lalolagi
ke ke kitea
i te gali o tenei lalolagi/olaga
ke ve koe ko au
se aho fakatahi
iloa ai e koe
mea lea atu ai au
ke ke kitea
ite gali otenei lalolagi
e talitonu ai au
i toku loto nei
ke kitea e koe
to matou olaga
Track 4/ Pate Pate (Log drum)
Courting
fun between groups of young men and women. Much of the
message is expressed in the dances, which are vibrant and
provocative. This is an accepted way in which to
communicate with the one they love. The boldness, the
teasing, the confidence is openly expressed for all to
see, spurred on and driven by the power of the log drums.
tu la ki luga ke fai malama
taimi tenei e fai na hiva
tu la ki luga ke fai malama
ue lue malie ke fai na hiva
aue aue tama mimita
aue aue teine mimita
aue aue hihiva mimita
kikila mai la fakaakiali atu
e a mai tau faiva e a mai
taku ika e fofou ai au
e a mai tau faiva e a mai
hihiva ki luga hihiva mai ve
hihiva malie ki te pate pate
chant: hiva ki luga hiva ki lalo
hiva malie ki te pate pate
Track
5/ Hea la koe iei (Take that)
This song is inspired by those working at the 531PI
Pacific Island radio station in New Zealand. After
announcing the signing of the worldwide distribution deal
for the first Te Vaka album, Amosa Nemia, proudly
introduced a song off the album by saying "hea la
koe iei" which means "take that".
faitala au i te po i luga o te letioi
fano ake fakaali te tala nei
taku tala manumalo tenei
te lalolagi e kalaga mai
kikila mai ki ta tou nei
Tokelau ka hoholo halalau koe
tou igoa e manogi mai
ve he sei
Matini hauni na pehe nei
Fale lau mai na tala fou
fakalogo ki tala e fai mai
fai mai Amosa se tala nei
taku lava mo Tokelau venei
Tokelau venei (lea mai la Amosa)
Hea la koe iei
e Peni sauni na pehe nei
Neta lau mai na tala fou
fakalogo ki tala e fai mai
fai mai Ioane se tala nei
taku lava mo Tokelau venei
Tokelau venei (lea mai la Ioane)
Hea la koe iei
Matini hauni na pehe nei
ufiata lau mai na tala fou
fakalogo ki tala e fai mai
fai mai Foa’i se tala nei
taku lava mo Tokelau venei
Tokelau venei (lea mai la Foa’i)
Hea la koe iei
6/ Pate Mo tou agaga(log drums for your
soul)
This
instrumental piece is played in log drums with a gentle
and breezy groove. It’s soulful feel and trancelike
rhythm invites the listener to sway and move.
Track
7/ Vaka atua (missionaries)
The
arrival of the missionaries marked a time of upheaval
that destroyed much of the culture of the Pacific
Islands. This song was inspired by what occurred in
Tokelau where people were threatened with visits by
gunboats if they didn’t accept the new faith.
Old songs and old dances were labeled as "evil"
by the church who therefore proceeded to suppress them.
These actions were motivated greatly by each
missionary’s personal prejudices and dislikes of the
customs and manners of each Island. Much of the old songs
and old dances were lost at that point in time.
‘Vaka atua’ describes the many conflicts that
occurred trying to accept these new beliefs while
throwing aside the spiritual beliefs that had been held
by them and their ancestors for thousands of years. One
man, Foliga’s, reply to the first missionary in his
land was "No, we already have our own true god in
heaven" (represented in this song by
"Tagaloa" Polynesian god of the sea).
"All their lesser evil customs you will
endeavour to cast down,
going in a state of nudity or nearly so, cutting or
scratching
themselves in seasons of grief - tattooing their bodies.
Eating
raw fish, their lewd dances etc, but the greater evils
will require
your first attacks and then the smaller."
(John Williams, LMS South Sea Letters, 1823, quoted in
Gunson 1978: 319)
keina tu mai tao kae fakatonu ko to ta ho
keina tu mai tao kae fakatonu ko to ku Aliki
ko toku aliki Tui Tokelau
hau he matagi ke moli au
Tui o nuku Tui o vavau
hau he matagi keina tu
iao ioa lava
ua fa’asa uma le faiga o pese f’a’apena
ua fa’asa una le faiga o siva fa’apena
ua fa’asa fi le faiga o le tatau
ua fa’asa foi le aiga ole i’a mata
amata atu i le aso nei faiga o pese fa’apenei
te tali nei a foliga
te matou Atua i te lagi
te matou Aliki i te lagi
hau he matagi keina te matou Aliki i te lagi
iao ioa lava
e ui lava kua puli koutou
uma toku igoa
e he mafai na puli kou tou
e tagaloa
Track
8/ Tagaloa (A god of
old Polynesia)
An
idea of what the great Polynesian god Tagaloa (god of the
sea) was then and is today. From his many feats to meet
the constant demands for help and assistance from his
people before the arrival of the missionaries, up to when
he fell from grace - replaced by another god - to today,
where he watches and waits.........
Tagaloa, Tagaloa ko he talohaga
e fai faipea
mo tou latou puipuiga malu
mo tou fakatagaga
moa latou taumafaiga
taumafaiga uam
Tagaloa fakalogo
tu mau pea
Track
9/ Kaleve (Coconut honey)
The
sweet sap of the coconut is used by the women in their
cooking, the children love to drink it while the men use
it to make alcohol. Its varying uses and being the only
natural sweetener make it an important part of life in
the Pacific.
Track
10/ Sagalogalo ake (lost in it all)
A
leisurely stroll through a Pacific Island basking in the
magic of it all, accompanied by the enduring sound of the
sea, there are children playing in the lagoon, groups
taking part in festivities - dancing and singing - while
others go about their daily chores. It’s as if you
are lost in it all ... reminiscing.
te faiva kua tau kua tau lagalaga
kikila fakaholoholo pe fano ki fea
te faiva kua laga kua
laga te hi malau
saloa galugalu fatifati
te ataata o te mahina
te ataata o te mahina
fano ki te namo
pe ko tuakau
mahani a toeaina
nofonofo mai i te mulivaka
faitalatala ma tupulaga
sagalogalo ake
sagalogalo ake
11/
Aue kapaku (you’re going to fall)
A log
drum interpretation of a traditional chant from the
Island of Tokelua usually played with the
"puha" (wooden box) and sung by a large group
of people while they dance the ‘fatele’
aue kapaku aue kapaku
e gau te vae e gau te vae e
aue kapaku aue kapaku
e gau te lima e gau te lima
aue kapaku aue kapaku
gau te ua egau te ua
aue kapaku aue
sa hi , sa hi
si si si
aue sa hi , sa hi
si si si
si si si
12/ Kau tufuga fai vaka(Master
voyages
A
tribute to the original pioneers of the South Pacific -
The great Polynesian fleet that conquered the largest
ocean on the planet with the simple canoe. Their natural
abilities on the sea as navigators and as sailors are
legendary. Summoned by Tagaloa to the sea they take up
the challenge.
kau tufuga fai vaka o te moana
tapena ake te folau
Tagaloa e kalaga mai
taku mai na uiga ote tai
hau hau
Kau tufuga fai vaka
kau tufuga fai vaka o te moana
te nuku e fakatali mai
fakatahi ma na faigata
fofou mai kia te koe e fanatu
hau hau
kau tufuga fai vaka
o koe kua lau iloa
in a tuhituhiga
o koe kua takutaku
i te lalolagi
**************
Album acknowledgements
This Album is dedicated to the original pioneers - the
Polynesian fleet ‘Kau tufuga fai vaka’ forebear
and ancestor to all the Polynesian cultures in the
Pacific. May the memories of all their adventures and all
their glorious achievements be remembered always - today
and by generations to come.
I would like to thank my team - Luavasa, Neil, Sulata,
Andrew, Simon, Edwin, Daniel, Alana, Manase and Vai for
their talent and the time they put into this project,
especially Neil for going the extra mile. To Mira and
Louisa - thanks for the support and staying strong for
the cause. To Malcolm Smith - Malo! and thank you for
sharing your talent with us. To my best friend and wife
Julie for giving me the freedom and wherewithal to write
and record this Album. Thank you for believing in me.
I would also like to thank my Mother, Saute and my
Father, Faraile Tavita for their ongoing support in my
musical ventures, (even though it didn’t always put
food on the table), Apelu Chan Sau for buying me my first
guitar, the Auckland Tokelauan Choir for their part in
‘Vaka atua’, Allan Thomas and Judith Huntsman
for their kind permission to use ‘Keina tu’
which they recorded in Nukunonu, Tokelau in 1986, Pou
(Mike) Patelesio for introducing me to ‘Matagi
Tokelau’ and the song ‘Keina tu’, Aunty
Ane for gifting the canoe - it has been an inspiration in
the studio, Ioane Iosua and Tavita Foa’i for
overseeing the lyrics, Lua Puka for repairing our
overworked computers, Brian Clay for building the studio
fittings and innovative log drum stands, Caron Clay for
the use of the Yamaha Keyboard, George & Aleshia
Browne, Jacob Samson for helping us find log drums, Sam
& So’o Pita, John & Gaylene Dukeson,
Foa’i & Feagai Foa’i - voted best Te Vaka
supporters, and David Abbott for helping us win the case.
A special thanks to our favourite comedian Andrew Clay
for believing in the album and making miracles happen
"Yo! Bro!" , Susie and Howard Bretherton for
making our many adventures possible and George
Schoushkoff of Revolver studios for being a saint..
Book references for this work have been:
‘Matagi Tokelau’ by the people of Tokelau
translated by J. Huntsman and A Hooper
‘Tokelau’ a historical ethnography by J.
Huntsman and A Hooper
‘New song and dance from Central Pacific’ by
Allan Thomas
Opetaia Foa'i - lead vocals, acoustic guitar,
percussion, keyboards, bvs, Pate Ulu ( lead log drum)
Neil Forrest - percussion, electric
guitar, pate liki, pate toa (rhythm and double log drums)
Luavasa Foa'i - bass guitar, p’au
malu (goatskin bass drum), bvs
Sulata Foa'i - Lead vocals (Pate Pate),
bvs
Andrew Dukeson - drum kit, log drums
Manase Foa'i - pate liki, pate toa (
rhythm and double log drums)
Daniel Foa'i - pa’u villi (conga)
Alana Foa'i - backing vocals
Malcolm Smith- backing vocals (Tagaloa),
keyboards and sounds
Children's voices-
Kesa,Lufo,Bessie,Iva,Metita,Sina,Sera, Olivia,Matatia (Ke
ke kitea)
Women's voices - Pua, Ulaalei, Puava, Alana,
Wendy and Vai Mahina (Lua afe, Kaleve)
Men's voices - (Chants) Luavasa, Neil,
Daniel, Simon, Edwin, Manase and Hori Chapman
Old man - Sione Matatia (Vaka atua)
Men's voices - begining of Vaka atua -
Kotelano Kele led the singing under the direction of
elders Fafie Pahelio and Tuia Ahelemo
PRODUCED BY Malcolm Smith and Opetaia Foa’i
MIXING BY Neil Baldock except for track 3 mixed by
Malcolm Smith
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER - Julie Foa’i
SLEEVE CONCEPT AND DESIGN BY Shahreel Baiza
BOOKLET TEXTS BY - Julie Foa’i
RECORDED BY MALCOLM SMITH AT STARTREK STUDIOS
MIXED AT REVOLVER STUDIOS
MASTERED BY STEVE KENNEDY AT YORK ST STUDIOS
THE COPYRIGHT OF THIS RECORDING IS OWNED BY SPIRIT OF
PLAY PRODUCTIONS LTD ©1999 SPIRIT OF PLAY
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