"God Defend New Zealand" & "Orakau"

by Thomas Bracken

Thomas Bracken’s “National Hymn,” now known as “God Defend New Zealand,” is included here along with his poem “Orakau.” Both were written in the same time period. Considered side by side they give us profound insight into Bracken’s heart. “Orakau” shines a light on “National Hymn” that helps us interpret the hymns full force and understand some of its hidden nuances. Some time between 1884 and 1890 Bracken added to and reworked “Orakau.” Both versions are included below.

God Defend New Zealand

First Published in the Saturday Advertiser 1^st July 1876

1. God of Nations! at Thy feet
In the bonds of love we meet,
Hear our voices we entreat,
God defend our Free Land.
Guard Pacific’s triple star
From the shafts of strife and war,
Make her praises heard afar,
God defend New Zealand.

2. Men of every creed and race
Gather here before Thy face,
Asking Thee to bless this place,
God defend our Free Land.
From dissension, envy, hate,
And corruption guard our State,
Make our country good and great,
God defend New Zealand.

3. Peace, not war, shall be our boast,
But should foes assail our coast,
Make us then a mighty host,
God defend our Free Land.
Lord of battles, in Thy might,
Put our enemies to flight,
Let our cause be just and right,
God defend New Zealand.

4. Let our love for Thee increase,
May Thy blessings never cease,
Give us plenty, give us peace,
God defend our Free Land.
From dishonour and from shame,
Guard our country’s spotless name,
Crown her with immortal fame,
God defend New Zealand.

5. May our mountains ever be
Freedom's ramparts on the sea,
Make us faithful unto Thee,
God defend our Free Land.
Guide her in the nations' van,
Preaching love and truth to man,
Working out Thy glorious plan,
God defend New Zealand.

Orakau (Original Version)

First published in the Saturday Advertiser, 22nd July 1876

THREE hundred swarthy braves at Orakau,
Savage warriors from Uriwera,
And from the hills and gorges of Taupo,
Commanded by Rewi bold and fearless,
The haughtiest Chief in all Waikato,
Lay entrenched within the Pah, surrounded
By over two thousand hardy Britons:
Carey’s Royal Celts and Forest Rangers,
And Fortieth Fighters under Leslie.
Upon the second morning of April,
When the colours in Nature's dress were changing
From the brown and russet hues of Autumn
To the dark and sadder shades of Winter,
Three hundred lion-hearted warriors
Assembled with Rewi, to fan the flame
Of deadly hatred to the Pakeha
Into a vengeful blaze at Orakau.

Roaring for blood, our early gun
Rent the clouds like a thunder-clap;
Carey cried, “There’s work to be done”—
Close to the walls we pushed the sap.

“Ready, lads, with your hand-grenades,
Ready, lads, with your rifles true;
Ready, lads, with your trusty blades,
Ready, lads, with your bayonets too.”

“Now for the Armstrongs, let them roar:
Death unto those that laugh at peace—”
Into their nest our volleys pour—
“Steady there!—let the firing cease.”

’Tis Cameron’s voice—“Tell the foe
To leave the Pah, their lives we'll spare,
Tell them, Britons can mercy show,
Nothing but death awaits them there.”

Mainwaring, with a flag of truce before the Maories stood,
And said, “Oh, friends, be warned in time, we do not seek your blood;
Surrender, and your lives are safe.” Then through the whole redoubt
The swarthy rebels answered, with a fierce, defiant shout,
“Ka Whawhai tonu! Akè! Akè! Akè!”*

Again Mainwaring spake, “Oh, friends, you wish for blood and strife,
With blind and stubborn bravery, preferring death to life:
But send your women and your children forth, they shall be free.”
They answered back, “Our women brave will fight as well as we:
Ka Whawhai tonu! Akè! Akè! Akè!”

Again the fiery-throated cannon roared aloud for blood,
Again the hungry eagle swooped and shrieked for human food;
Again wild spirits soaring, saw their shattered corses lie
In pools of gore, and still was heard the fierce, defiant cry,
“Ka Whawhai tonu! Akè! Akè! Akè!”

With wild, untutored chivalry the rebels scorn’d disgrace,—
Oh, never in the annals of the most heroic race
Was bravery recorded more noble or more high,
Than that displayed at Orakau in Rewi’s fierce reply,
“Ka Whawhai tonu! Akè! Akè! Akè!”

* We will fight for ever, and ever, and ever.

Orakau (Later Version)

First published in “Musings in Maoriland” 1890

Three hundred swarthy braves at Orakau—
Savage warriors from Uriwera,
And from the hills and gorges of Taupo—
Gathered together to defend the land
From the encroachments of the Pakeha.
The Ngatimaniapoto were there,
Led on by Rewi Manga the fearless;
Te Paerata, famed in many fights,
Commanded the Ngatiraukawa tribe.
He was the warrior who cried aloud—
“Me mate au kikonei!”—which means,
“Let us make the Pa here; let us die here!”
The dauntless chief Te Whenuanui,
And Hapurona of Uriwera,
Headed their wild and savage warriors.
Te Waru was there with his East Coast braves,
And other chiefs famed in song and story,
Met on the spot to resist the spoilers
Who had taken the land from the Maori
In the name of the Queen of the far land.
Only three hundred warriors were there
Entrenched within the weak, unfinished Pa,
Only three hundred brave men and women
To meet the Pakeha who surrounded
The sod-built fortress, with his well-drilled troops,
Nearly two thousand hardy Britons—
The Royal Irish and Forest Rangers,
And Fortieth Fighters under Leslie.
It was the second morning of April
When the colours in Nature's dress were changing
From the brown and russet hues of autumn
To the dark and sadder shades of winter,
Three hundred lion-hearted warriors
Assembled with Rewi to fan the flame
Of deadly hatred to the Pakeha
Into a vengeful blaze at Orakau,
Chanting the deeds of their ancestors,
They cried aloud, “Me mate te tangata,
Me mate mo te whenua!”—which means,
“The warrior's death is to die for the land!”

Roaring for blood, our early gun
Rent the clouds like a thunder-clap;
Carey cried, “There's work to be done”—
Close to the walls we pushed the sap.

“Ready, lads, with your hand-grenades,
Ready, lads, with your rifles true;
Ready, lads, with your trusty blades,
Ready, lads, with your bayonets, too.”

“Now for the Armstrongs, let them roar:
Death unto those that laugh at peace—”
Into their nest our volleys pour—
“Steady there!—let the firing cease.”

’Tis Cameron's voice—“Tell the foe
To leave the Pa, their lives we'll spare,
Tell them, Britons can mercy show,
Nothing but death awaits them there.”

Then Major Mair, with flag of truce before the Maoris stood,
And said, “O friends, be warned in time, we do not seek your blood.
Surrender, and your lives are safe.” Then through the whole redoubt
The swarthy rebels answered, with a fierce, defiant shout,
“Ka Whawhai tonu! Akè! Akè! Akè!”*

Again spake gallant Mair—“O friends, you wish for blood and strife,
With blind and stubborn bravery, preferring death to life;
But send your women and your children forth, they shall be free.”
They answered back, “Our women brave will fight as well as we:
Ka Whawhai tonu! Akè! Akè! Akè!”

Uprose brave Ahumai then, a chieftainess, and said:
“O! what have we to live for, if our dearest ones be dead?
If fathers, husbands, brothers, too, as mangled corses lie,
Why should we stay behind them here?—beside them let us die!
“Ka Whawhai tonu! Akè! Akè! Akè!”

Again the fiery-throated cannon roared aloud for blood,
Again the hungry eagle swooped and shrieked for human food;
Again wild spirits soaring, saw their shattered shells beneath,
In pools of gore, and still was heard defiance to the death—
“Ka Whawhai tonu! Akè! Akè! Akè!”

Now, now the bold defenders in a solid body break
Right through the sod-built barricade, o’er palisade and stake,
And leaping o’er the trenches, ’mid a storm of shot and shell,
They rushed to liberty or death, still shouting as they fell—
“Ka Whawkai tonu! Akè! Akè! Akè!”

With wild, untutored chivalry the rebels scorn’d disgrace,—
Oh, never in the annals of the most heroic race
Was bravery recorded more noble or more high,
Than that displayed at Orakau in Rewi's fierce reply—
“Ka Whawhai tonu! Akè! Akè! Akè!”

* “We will fight for ever, and ever, and ever.”

Back to Words for Nations