The Cicada 
207 
The striking rhythm of the tarakihi song has been adopted by 
the Maori in a line and extremely popular posture-song and 
dance. 
E whakarongo ai an, 
Ki te tangi mai, 
A te manu nei, 
A te tarakilii 
I te weheruatanga o te po: 
Cliorus: 
Ta ra ra-ta, ki-ta, ki-ta, 
Ta ra ra-ta, ki-ta, ki-ta, 
Wiri o papa, toene, toene, 
Wiri o papa, toene, toene, 
Hope whai a ke 
Turi whatia, 
Ei, ei, ha! 
Oh, my fancy listening 
To the song of songs, 
Of this singing bird, 
Of the tarakihi 
In my dreams in the midst of the night,— 
Chorus— 
Ta ra ra-ta, ki-ta, ki-ta, 
Ta ra ra-ta, ki-ta, ki-ta, 
O quivering sides, sound the refrain, 
O quivering sides, sound the refrain, 
And with waist supple, 
And bended knees, 
Ei, ei, ha! 
This is the song that came to the Maori poet, wandering on a 
summer afternoon in search of inspiration. Approaching a 
grove of mahoe trees in a sequestered and romantic nook, he 
suddenly heard the delirious joy-song of the assembled tarakihi 
throbbing on the air. The rhythm is represented in the 
following:— 
Ta. ra 
JID- -JX1 
Wi . ri o.pa.pato.e.ne to.e.nej 1 
ui in rjisji 
Ho . pe whai.a.ke tun wha-ti.a 
> >, >i 
> > > . 
i iUll 
ra . ta ki . ta ki .ta 
| (twice) 
