Ko Nga Waka

4(G) Medium Battery's Haka

This ancient haka has been the traditional haka of 4(G) Medium Battery RNZA over many years. It was very well known by all members of the Battery and is in reality a canoe chant that bears in the verse the name of all of the ancient tribal canoes that travelled to Aotearoa from the fabled Hawaiki in the Eastern Pacific.

Knowledge of this haka came in handy for Orderly Officers and Orderly Sergeants when on Annual Camps it came time to clear the Junior Ranks Tent. It was sometimes rather a daunting task attempting to clear a mess tent bulging at the seams with several hundred drunken noisy Gunners. The easiest way that was often found to clear the mess tent, was to approach a senior Bombardier of 4 Medium Battery (Tutu Ormsby, Vic Wehipehana, Tony Timu etc) and suggest he call his Battery home.

The moment that this Junior NCO stood up and began their Battery haka, all other Gunners of 4 Medium would immediately down what remained of their beer, be upstanding and walk/stagger en-masse from the bar in the direction of their hooch area. The mopping up of what remained, 'the odds and sods', was invariably pretty easy as most years, 4 Medium Battery had the greatest strength at any Annual Camp or Territorial Training Weekend.

Kaea: Ko nga waka e nei.

Katoa: I hoea mai ra
I te nuku o te whenua
Ki Hawaiki Pamamao
Whaka whiti mai ra
I te Moana nui a kiwi
ki Aotearoa
Hiki Nuku Hiki Rangi
Ka eke ki runga
Tainui - Aei Hi!
Te Arawa - Aei Hi!
Tokomaru - Aei Hi!
Takitimu - Aue Hi!
Aotea - Aue Hi!
Mataatua - Aue Hi!
Kurahaupo - Aue Hi!
Horouta - Aue Hi!
Nga tuki Matawhaoroa - Aue Hi!

Kaea: Ko ahau te nei

Katoa: E tu atu nei
I taonga tuku iho
No nga tupuna
He uri no nga waka
I hoea i waho
I waho to moana

Kaea: Hoera
Katoa: E Hine
Kaea: Hoera
Katoa: E Tama

Kaea: Ko Matou enei
Tainui - Aue Hi!
Te Arawa - Aue Hi!
Tokomaru - Aue Hi!
Takatimu - Aue Hi!
Aotoea - Aue Hi!
Mataatua - Aue Hi!
Kurahaupo - Aue Hi!
Horouta - Aue Hi!
Nga tuki Matawhaoroa - Aue Hi!

4(G) Medium Battery