God Defend New Zealand

Hayley Westenra singing God Defend New Zealand at the Rugby World Cup 2011 final between The All Blacks and France

This song never ceases to send a strange feeling through me, one of strong emotion and perhaps what you could call patriotism. As New Zealanders, in general, we are not particularly patriotic, content to be quietly proud of our nation, which is so far away from the rest of the world not only geographically but in our mentality also. However, for the rugby, for the All Blacks, it really does seem that this nation bands together in solid support of our team, who play such a large part in placing New Zealand on the map. When I travelled around Italy, people would hear my accent and assume I was Australian. Even after having explained I was from New Zealand, they either had no real idea where it was, or only knew our country for either the All Blacks or The Lord of the Rings films. Although they have equal legal status, God Defend New Zealand is the more commonly used national anthem over God Save the Queen.

Irish-born, Victorian-raised Thomas Bracken settled in Dunedin and and wrote the lyrics in the 1870's, originally written as a poem. In 1876 The Saturday Advertiser ran a competition to compose music for what would become God Defend New Zealand. Tasmanian-born John Joseph Woods who lived in Lawrence won the competition, and on Christmas Day 1876, the song was performed for the first time at the Queen's Theatre in Dunedin. The hymn grew in popularity throughout the 19th and 20th Centuries; the New Zealand Government bought the rights to the song and it became the official national hymn in time for the centennial celebrations of 1940. In 1976 on the 21st of November, God Defend New Zealand became the second official national anthem, alongside God Save the Queen.

The song has five verses, in both English and Maori. The Maori version was written by Thomas H. Smith, and is not a direct translation of the English version. I love this hymn a lot, the words are so meaningful and encapsulate the spirit in which those who came before us dedicated the country to God. While singing this song in church this morning, I realized that New Zealand is one of the only countries where we have the privilege of having a hymn as our national anthem; and I am grateful that we have the freedom to sing such beautiful words.

English

God of Nations at Thy feet,
In the bonds of love we meet,
Hear our voices, we entreat,
God defend our free land.
Guard Pacific's triple star
From the shafts of strife and war,
Make her praises heard afar,
God defend New Zealand.

Men of every creed and race,
Gather here before Thy face,
Asking Thee to bless this place,
God defend our free land.
From dissension, envy, hate,
And corruption guard our state,
Make our country good and great,
God defend New Zealand.

Peace, not war, shall be our boast,
But, should foes assail our coast,
Make us then a mighty host,
God defend our free land.
Lord of battles in Thy might,
Put our enemies to flight,
Let our cause be just and right,
God defend New Zealand.

Let our love for Thee increase,
May Thy blessings never cease,
Give us plenty, give us peace,
God defend our free land.
From dishonour and from shame,
Guard our country's spotless name,
Crown her with immortal fame,
God defend New Zealand.

May our mountains ever be
Freedom's ramparts on the sea,
Make us faithful unto Thee,
God defend our free land.
Guide her in the nations' van,
Preaching love and truth to man,
Working out Thy glorious plan,
God defend New Zealand.

Māori

E Ihowā Atua,
O ngā iwi mātou rā
Āta whakarangona;
Me aroha noa
Kia hua ko te pai;
Kia tau tō atawhai;
Manaakitia mai
Aotearoa

Ōna mano tāngata
Kiri whero, kiri mā,
Iwi Māori, Pākehā,
Rūpeke katoa,
Nei ka tono ko ngā hē
Māu e whakaahu kē,
Kia ora mārire
Aotearoa

Tōna mana kia tū!
Tōna kaha kia ū;
Tōna rongo hei pakū
Ki te ao katoa
Aua rawa ngā whawhai
Ngā tutū e tata mai;
Kia tupu nui ai
Aotearoa

Waiho tona takiwā
Ko te ao mārama;
Kia whiti tōna rā
Taiāwhio noa.
Ko te hae me te ngangau
Meinga kia kore kau;
Waiho i te rongo mau
Aotearoa

Tōna pai me toitū
Tika rawa, pono pū;
Tōna noho, tāna tū;
Iwi nō Ihowā.
Kaua mōna whakamā;
Kia hau te ingoa;
Kia tū hei tauira;
Aotearoa