Work
Pō Atarau
traditional Māori waiata
About
To learn more about this waiata and view lyrics and sheet music, visit Aotearoa Songbook.
Emira Maewa Kaihau was born in 1879 in Whangaroa, in the Northland region. This song was inspired by the piano composition ‘Swiss Cradle Song’ by Clement Scott, composed in 1913. The song was adapted as a farewell to the soldiers departing for World War I, in 1915. Maewa also wrote the lyrics for 'Now is the Hour,' which later became intertwined with the Maori version 'Pō Atarau' in 1935.
— programme note from Aotearoa Songbook