From the recording Nukukehe
I wrote this song for my mother, it is written in her language, and is about her home, the Island of Tuvalu. The effects of global warming are already visible in the South Pacific. The Island of Tuvalu is sinking as the rising sea begins to take over. This song expresses my concern and my wish to go to there before it is lost to the sea.
TOKU MATUA (Land of my mother)
Lyrics and Music - Opetaia Foa'i
E isi se nuku e iloa ne au
Se fenua e uke mea fou
Ae fakamataku au e alofa
Mo aso mai aso mai mua
Au e manako e oko ki ei
Koi maua ne se avanoa
Koe tuai o goto ki lalo
Te fenua o toku matua
Au e fia pese i luga
Au e fia siva i luga
Ke kau atu au ki fenua nei
Au e fia pese i luga
Au e fia siva i luga
O te fenua o toku matua
Mafaga- la ose mea fakamataku
Koe tuai o galo atu
Fakatagi nei a loto o tino
Ko la ne ola i te atunuku
Koe tuai o goto ki lalo
Koe tuai o goto ki lalo
I luga I luga
Te fenua ne vau ei
Toku matua
land of) MY MOTHER
There is a place that I know of
A land threatened by something new
I fear for it¹s safety
I¹m concerned for it¹s future
I need to go there
It might be my last chance
Before it sinks below
This land of my mother
I want to dance in this land
I want to sing in this land
I need to swim in this land
Let me dance in this land
Let me sing in this land
This land of my mother
A disaster, a catastrophe
When it returns to the sea
Breaking the hearts of it¹s people
Taking the name of it¹s people
To forever live below the sea
land of) MY MOTHER
There is a place that I know of
A land threatened by something new
I fear for it¹s safety
I¹m concerned for it¹s future
I need to go there
It might be my last chance
Before it sinks below
This land of my mother
I want to dance in this land
I want to sing in this land
I need to swim in this land
Let me dance in this land
Let me sing in this land
This land of my mother
A disaster, a catastrophe
When it returns to the sea
Breaking the hearts of it¹s people
Taking the name of it¹s people
To forever live below the sea
© Spirit of Play Productions/Opetaia Foa'i