From the recording Olatia
VAKAAITU (Spiritual Canoe)
Lyrics - Opetaia Foa'i,
Music - Opetaia Foa'i & Malcolm Smith
Track 1 Vakaaitu
Tokalua ulavale i toku itu
Fakaita ai au i te po
Fakamau muamua i toku moega
Te pogiha
Vakaaitu
Holoholo te vaka
Te agaga
Tu mai
Tigaina
O heala? heala?
Kaiga e ve he kaiga
Vakaaitu
Te mamaha
Te puapuaga
Tau Malaga
Te maputaga
Te mana o te vaega
E totoka te mamaha
O tupuga na tagata nei
Fefenu kau malaga
Kikifu kau malaga
Kokono kau malaga
Kekena kau malaga
Te mana o te vaega
O tupuga na tagata nei
Galuega ua uma
Olo la
Malolo ma te filemu
Galuega ua mau
Vakaaitu
Two mischievous spirits beside me
Angers me in the night
Held fast to my bed
In the dark
Behind them spiritual canoes
Canoes on the move
Spirits standing before me
What is it? what is it?
Something familiar about them
Spiritual canoes
Overfilled and heavy
Spiritual canoes
Suffering faces
From the long journey
Longing for peace
The power of this group
Something heavy on their minds
The power of this group
These are the ancestors
Their wrinkled faces
Frustrated and detached
Reluctant to continue
Needing a task done
With a will to end it here
The power of this group
These are the ancestors
The work is done
Go now
Rest in peace
The work is finished.
© Spirit of Play Productions/Opetaia Foa'i