He taua, He taua! - (A war party, a war party!)

Waewae tapu takahi te ara taua - (Footsteps pound the sacred warpath)
Ka hopungia e maha nga upoko - (Many heads are sought)
Ka hopungia e maha taurekareka - (Many slaves are sought)
E mahi nga mahi a Tūmatauenga - (This is the work of Tūmatauenga)

Anei rā - (Behold)
Te uhi o Mataora - (The chisel of Mataora)
Pai tuarā - (The strong back)
Te kokongapere - (The base of the spine)
Nga rape - (The buttock spirals)
Te kitemaimairu - (The thigh)
Tatua taua - (The war belt)
Nga tā moko puhoro - (The tattooed bodies of warriors)
Anei nga tohu a Tūmatauenga - (These are the omens of war)

He pakanga nunui mo te whakautu - (A mighty battle to avenge us)
Tae mai nga tūpuna mo te whakaāwhina - (Our ancestors gather to assist us)
Kia mau nga Tohunga mo te whakakarakia - (Our priests prepare the incantations)
E mahi nga mahi a Tūmatauenga - (This is the work of Tūmatauenga)

Anei rā - (Behold)
Te uhi o Mataora - (The chisel of Mataora)
Pai tuarā - (The strong back)
Te kokongapere - (The base of the spine)
Nga rape - (The buttock spirals)
Te kitemaimairu - (The thigh)
Tatua taua - (The war belt)
Nga tā moko puhoro - (The tattooed bodies of warriors)
Anei nga tohu a Tūmatauenga - (These are the omens of war)

A Tūmatauenga x4 - (Of Tūmatauenga)
Mahi nga mahi a Tūmatauenga x4 - (This is the work of Tūmatauenga)

Whakatangi o nga pū, whakapatu nga taiaha - (The cry of guns, the blows of the taiaha)
Te kikokiko rekareka ō aku hoariri - (The sweet flesh of our enemies)
Nga umu whakakīa tātau kōpū ki te utu - (The ovens fill our bellies with revenge)
E mahi nga mahi a Tūmatauenga - (This is the work of Tūmatauenga)

Anei rā - (Behold)
Te uhi o Mataora - (The chisel of Mataora)
Pai tuarā - (The strong back)
Te kokongapere - (The base of the spine)
Nga rape - (The buttock spirals)
Te kitemaimairu - (The thigh)
Tatua taua - (The war belt)
Nga tā moko puhoro - (The tattooed bodies of warriors)
Anei nga tohu a Tūmatauenga - (These are the omens of war)

Waewae tapu takahi te ara taua x4 - (Footsteps pound the sacred warpath)


Lyrics submitted by TheImpalerTMX

Kai Tangata song meanings
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    Song Meaning

    Says the band "This song refers to "nga tohu a Tūmatauenga," the symbols of Tūmatauenga – the Māori god of war," and its from here where the band derives the album's name that the track is on." "Quite a few of the songs on the album are about battles or conflict." The video is a bit grisly & they're not saying it's right or wrong but the story should be told as it's stuff that actually happened to the Māori people. I wanted to added the songs title translates to 'Mankind'.

    EternalTearsOfSorrowon January 12, 2019   Link

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