The latest Meow Gurrls video features the wonderful Sudha Rao with her poem ‘Manuhiri’. ‘Manuhiri’ contains a special mihi prepared for Sudha by Matt Gifford. Here’s the English translation:

“Mihi

The bird sings
The morning has dawned
The day has broken
Ah! There is life.
This manu (bird) has descended as a manu (bird), as a visitor, as a dancing visitor
Through its dancing feet and its flowing words
Its heart cries, the tears of love
For you the home people, this is your land.
My mother as a feather, my father as a feather
And it’s by their feathers this manu (bird) takes flight
Taking flight to the day, and flight to the night
From its own home land
Where the home fire burns, and gives this manu (bird) life.”