Aroha Mai, Aroha Atu

It's like a rash A rash in the summer sun Crawling up your back Baby, calm down, baby, calm down What do you see? Blood on your hands that you can't wash clean In so deep that you couldn't even see it It's like a slap A slap burning on your cheek Now you see the cracks Baby, wake up, baby, wake up What do you see? All the missing parts of the person you were meant to be It's never too late to return mana wahine I'm going to share our love Manaakitanga, speak the truth Kōrero te reo, feel the shame And then move beyond it It's not my shame, I don't have to hold it Reinvigorate my thinking and speaking For my whaea and kuia who never got to see it Live whanaungatanga everywhere I visit Whānau takatāpui always in my spirit I may have come late, but better late than never There was healing to be done so I could hold my mana I'm nobody's saviour, just here for the mahi I hope this waiata frees anybody Who didn't grow up close to Māoritanga It runs in your blood through your whakapapa Aroha mai, aroha atu The circle of love will always hold you