The Serpent's Path (Te Ara O Te Awa)

The Serpent's Path (Te Ara O Te Awa)

Style: Dark Nordic Folk / Viking Chant Instrumentation: Deep tagelharpa drone, heavy marching drums (mimicking the strike of paddles on water), Pūtātara (shell horn), and crashing wave sound effects. Vocal Style: Gritty throat-singing leading into powerful, rhythmic group chants.

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Lyrics

(Intro) (Sound of calm water gently lapping against stone) (A deep, resonant throat-singing drone begins) (Whispered, echoing chant) Tow-poe Moe-ah-nah... (Taupō Moana - Lake Taupō) The great heart beats in the deep. Tow-poe Moe-ah-nah... (A single, long blast of the shell horn) (Verse 1) (Drums begin, slow and incredibly heavy: THUD... THUD... THUD...) From the belly of the fiery lake The silver serpent starts to wake It crashes down the Hoo-kah (Huka) stone A roaring voice of white and bone Wah-kah (Waka - Canoe) cuts the rushing tide With the Tah-nee-fah (Taniwha - Guardian spirit) by our side We pull the Haw-eh (Hoe - Paddle) through the dark Leaving an eternal mark. (Chorus) (Tempo picks up. Heavy driving beat, aggressive gang chants) Why-kah-toe! (Waikato) The blood of the earth is flowing down! Why-kah-toe! Past the mountain, past the town! From the Tow-poe to the sea! It breathes the life in you and me! Ah-wah Noo-ee! (Awa Nui - Great River) (Verse 2) (Tempo steadies, rhythmic and relentless like a crew paddling in unison) Through the mist of Key-ree-key-ree-row-ah (Kirikiriroa - Hamilton) The ancient guardians watch us row We meet the Why-pah (Waipā - The Waipā River) in the fold At Nah-roo-ah-wah-hee-ah (Ngāruawāhia) brave and cold Two great waters bind as one Beneath the heavy, bleeding sun The King-ee-tah-ngah (Kīngitanga - Māori King Movement) stands its ground Where the sacred waters sound. (Bridge) (Acapella. Fast stomping, chest-slapping, fierce and urgent) Hee-koy! (Hīkoi - March/Journey) Through the valley, through the green! Hee-koy! To places we have never seen! Teh Poo-ah-hah! (Te Pūaha - The river mouth/Port Waikato) calls us near! Cast away the mortal fear! Hee-koy! (Chorus) (Maximum volume, epic wall of sound with crashing cymbals and deep horns) Why-kah-toe! The blood of the earth is flowing down! Why-kah-toe! Past the mountain, past the town! From the Tow-poe to the sea! It breathes the life in you and me! Ah-wah Noo-ee! (Outro) (The heavy drums are suddenly swallowed by the sound of roaring ocean waves) We meet the salt, we meet the tide The Tasman opens dark and wide Teh Poo-ah-hah... (Te Pūaha - Port Waikato) Teh Poo-ah-hah... (Fading throat drone) (The sound of a single paddle striking water) (Silence)