From the recording Nukukehe
Tokelau language
TE HIVA (The dance)
Lyrics - Opetaia Foa'i,
Music - Opetaia Foai & Malcolm Smith
Te matagi malu kua hau i te loto
Vehehi ai toku tino i te fakalogologo
E he mafai na fai, fakafiti na lagona
Ko na pehe vena
E fakafiafia ma fakamimita
Tumau fakamau te migomigoi
Ko te uila kua hau
Fakaola ai toku loto
Fakatamilomilo fai taga fakatamilomilo
Fakafiafia ma fakamimita te hiva
Na hiva te gali te gali ona hiva
Kolikoli malie migomigoi na hiva
Na hiva te gali te gali ona hiva
Hiva fakamalie mai
Heee e o migomigoi
e o hiva fakagaligali
e o kolikoli ma te kolikoli
e o hiva fakamalie
E vena foki te fakalogo o na fenua
Egelani ma Falani, Europa ma Amerika
E tutuha lava te fiafia e lagona
Luelue ki latou
i te faiga o te hiva
Koli ki lalo e
Koli ki luga e
THE DANCE
The cooling winds soothing my soul
Moving me as I listen
I can’t seem to hold back this feeling
Making me happy and proud
Holding steady while I do the Migomigoi
Lightning strikes me reviving my soul
Spinning around, showing moves,
spinning sround
So happy and proud in “Te Hiva”
Dancing so gracefully
So graceful are the dances
Kolikoli sweetly and
Migomigoi in the dance
Dancing so gracefully
So graceful are the dances
Dance ever so sweetly
Boys chant
It’s the same reaction
When heard in other places
England, France, Europe and America
They also get excited
They begin to sway
Dancing “Te Hiva”
Girls chant
© Spirit of Play Productions/Opetaia Foa'i