Hodie Christus natus est

On the nineteeth day of December,

The year of our Lord, sixteen forty-two,

There was a sight which had not ever been seen before:

Tasman and all of his crew.

The invasion of Ngati Tumatakokiri started at Golden Bay.

By the fall of night many wives would be widow'd,

And all just before Christmas Day.

On the twenty-fifth of December,

The year of our Lord, sixteen forty-two,

There were extra rations of wine, and a freshly kill'd pig

For Tasman and his crew.

Hodie Christus natus est:

Hodie salvator apparuit:

Hodie in terra canunt angeli,

Laetantur archangeli

Hodie exultant justi, dicentes:

Gloria in excelsis deo,

Allelujah!