On the bus back to Carcassonne from Ventenac we sprang a surprise on everyone by singing Pokarekare Ana. Even though our memory of the exact words was a bit patchy, it went down well, prompting Andre to respond with an old rowing song which is apparently unprintable, whilst the Stuttgart crews burst into a rendition of “Row, row your boat”.
For our French and German readers, here are the first two verses of this haunting Maori love song which is a favourite of many a homesick Kiwi.
Pokarekare Ana, nga wai o Waiapu,
Whiti atu koe hine, marino ana e,
E hine e, kohi mai ra, ka mate ahau, te aroha e.
Tuhituhi taku reta, tuka atu taku rini,
Kia kite to iwi, raruraru ana e,
E hine e, kohi mai ra, ka mate ahau, te aroha e.
Here is a video of the song being performed by St Josephs Maori Girls College
blackstrokesrowingadventure 