Kawau tikitiki
The Kawau tikitiki (cormorant/shag) is a significant manu for a number of iwi and hapū whose heartlands are located across the full breadth of Aotearoa. This bird is revered by Māori for its characteristics and character; its constancy of purpose, resolute nature, its tenacity, its slowness to move but speed in acting.
For all of these attributes, the Kawau is often used in traditional oratory as metaphor for a Chief or a distinguished visitor.
A famous tauparapara of Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei refers to Kawau Tikitiki in this way:
Tirohia atu te Pane-o-Horoiwi
Whakapukepuke whakatikitiki ki waho rā
He Tikitiki he Kawau he Kawau he Tikitiki
Ka heke ki Tahuna Torea
He Tikitiki he Kawau he Tikitiki
Ka eke ka eke ki te Waitematā
Tihei Mauri Ora!
Look to the forehead of Horoiwi, to Achilles Point
Rising majestically there
It is a visiting shag
Alighted on the sandbank at Tahuna Torea, the sandbank of the oyster catcher
A distinguished visitor has come to the Waitematā
It is the breath of life!
You may note that the head of the artwork above you looks to the east towards Takaparawhau at Ōrākei, the ancestral heartland of Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei, acknowledging the mana and role of Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei in the city centre.
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He manu whakahirahira te Kawau tikitiki ki ngā tini iwi, hapū hoki, e noho ana i ngā whenua o Aotearoa whānui. He taonga tēnei manu ki te Māori mō ōna āhuatanga me tōna āhua; ko te aro pū, te mārohirohi, te whakapau kaha, me te āta whakaaro i mua i tana tere ki te mahi. Ka whakamahia te Kawau i ngā kōrero ōkawa hei kupu whakarite mō te rangatira, mō te manuhiri ahurei.
Ka kōrerohia te Kawau Tikitiki i tētahi tauparapara rongonui o Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei, ka pēnei:
Tirohia atu te Pane-o-Horoiwi
Whakapukepuke whakatikitiki ki waho rā
He Tikitiki he Kawau he Kawau he Tikitiki
Ka heke ki Tahuna Torea
He Tikitiki he Kawau he Tikitiki
Ka eke ka eke ki te Waitematā
Tihei Mauri Ora!
Ka kite pea koe i te upoko o te mahi toi kei runga ake i a koe e aro atu ana ki te rāwhiti, ki Takaparawhau i Ōrākei, te mano whenua o Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei. Ka whakamihia te mana o Ngāti Whātua me tō rātou tūranga i te pokapū o te tāone.
ABOUT TŪRAMA
Tūrama is a collaboration between Graham Tipene (Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei, Ngāti Kahu, Ngāti Hine, Ngāti Hauā, Ngāti Manu) and Ataahua Papa (Ngāti Korokī Kahukura; Ngāti Mahuta), and Angus Muir Design, with support from Auckland Council.
He mahi ngātahi a Tūrama nā Graham Tipene (Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei, Ngāti Kahu, Ngāti Hine, Ngāti Hauā, Ngāti Manu) rātou ko Ataahua Papa (Ngāti Korokī Kahukura, Ngāti Mahuta), ko Angus Muir Design, me te tautoko a Te Kaunihera o Tāmaki Makaurau.
