Lyrics
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