Kiribati

Ana Kanenei Teraaka o iaoni waana te wa ni kaborerei
Teraaka is sailing on his canoe called “te wa ni kaborerei” *
Ba e nang kakioi taian man ake i etan Tarawa
For He is heading towards the flight of birds over Tarawa
Ana Kanenei Teraaka o iaoni waana te wa ni kaborerei
Teraaka is sailing on his canoe called “te wa ni kaborerei”
Ba e nang kakioi taian man ake ietan Tarawa
For He is heading towards the flight of birds over Tarawa

Maane o kam nang bon nooria bwa e a tei te kai
O People, you will see that rod is up and ready
Ba e a bae te moan kaneati tei tabwere – E roa ni kateteke te man aio e teke te ati o ee toka
The first hook, “te itabwere”, is fixed in place- He cast and caught the tuna fish onto his canoe.

Chorus

E taotaona i marenani boongin angibuaka i nanoni marawa taua au bong ae te itibong
The sea caught up through the stormy days
Stick to my day, the first quarter of the moon.

Ai te moan aiwa bwa e nang kakioi taian man ake i etan Maiana
It’s the first trip to catch up with the birds above Maiana
Ai te moan aiwa bwa e nang kakioi taian man ake ietan Maiana
It’s the first trip to catch up with the birds above Maiana
Maane O kam nang bon nooria be e a mwemwe te kai bwa e a bae te kauai ni kaneati te itikurere
O People, you will see that the rod is lifted high with the second hook, the “itikurere”(pearl shell hook)
E roa ni kauatabo te man aio e teke te ati O e e toka
The rod fishes on both sides, the tuna got on the line and was pulled onto the canoe.

Chorus

E taotaona imarenani boong n angibuaka inanoni marawa taua au bong ae te itibong
The sea caught up through the stormy days
Stick to my day, the first quarter of the moon.

Maane o kam nang bon nooria ba e a tio tekai
O People, you will see the rod swung
Ba e a bae te katennai ni kaneati te itabo ni kuuka **
For the third bait is fixed on “tabo ni kuuka”
E roati tei e mawa ikatea, e roai atibun maran, e roaia taakee
He stands rod fishing at the leeward side of the canoe, fishing by rocks off the reef; and he finally pulls in the fish with joy and luck.

Chorus

E taotaona imareni boong n angi buaka inanoni marawa taua au bong ae te itibong.
The sea caught up through the stormy days
Stick to my day, the first quarter of the moon.

Literally the ‘canoe of competition’ – left untranslated as the direct translation does not work in English.

** This is an archaic word whose meaning is unknown. One possible meaning comes froom The Hiram Bingham Dictionary (1850s) which has the word ‘kungkung’ meaning a ‘fish’, and ‘kuuka’ might be a version of this – the song has been passed down orally for many generations. This would make perfect sense in context, in which case you could translate it as ‘the end of the fish’.

I tei n tara kabontenang
I look up in the sky in wonder
e bwakarai te nano tang
A feeling came upon me to cry
Ba I a uringa nnena n titiku
For I remember her place
I mwengana i keraroa
Her home far away

Chorus

I a kawa Ngai I a maninga nako ibuakon to nangro
How pitiful am I, for I was carried away among dark clouds
I a roko n te nne n aroka I a nori ue aika rerei
I came to a garden, and I see beautiful flowers

Ngke I taraia ao e aki karauai
When I look at her, she stirred me up
ma N na kukerei ngke e rawa
But I will accept if she refuse me
Be e taonai angina ngke e nako ba e katei ba Nei Wirara
For I was down low when she left, to reappear as a rainbow

Chorus

I a kawa Ngai I a maninganako ibuuakon te nangro
How pitiful am I, for I was carried away among dark clouds

I a roko n te nne n aroka I a nori ue aika rerei.
I came to a garden, and I see beautiful flowers.