Ne’er alane oan the lang-raik, anither traipses beside she

Ithers come, aboon a bronzed kahu flauchters free

Athort the whenua, murmurations shapeshift an meet

Thoosands mair join the flock

A hikoi against the taniwha, with heids aw three

To cry doun against the fact

 

That Te Tirīti is not inequality afore the law

Nor taking richts fae thaim that are Pākehā

But insteid tae bield Māori hauora.

A bill o daimigin principle

Cleavin’ a country sat in offices on higher

With sichtless ideals  unthinkable

 

E toru ngā upoko o tēnei taniwha

Engari, i tēnei wā, he teitei ake tētahi o ngā māhunga

Kua tārehu tōna Māoritanga

Kia pēhi ai ia ōna iwi

Ā, tōna whenua

Ki te whakangaro i ngā mahi i te tau 1840

 

A hikoi that walks on further

To awhi the mahi of Dame Whina Cooper

A hikoi o thoosands, Māori and Pākehā

To stop its strong-headed reign

Whakaarohia atu e te taniwha

We won’t let Aotearoa gae throu this again

Judges’ comments: An intriguing mash-up of Scottish and Te reo Māori with a great sense of rhythm. With lines like "Te Tirīti is not inequality afore the law / Nor taking richts fae thaim that are Pākehā / But insteid tae bield Māori hauora” it leaves the reader in no doubt as to its political nature.