Ra'iatea Nui

Mai te pô ‘a ‘iu’iu mai

E pô ana’e.

E pô tinitini, e pô ta’ota’o

‘O te pô ia.

‘Aore e fenua, ‘aore e râ’au, ‘aore e vai

‘Aore e ‘ôfa’i, ‘aore e ta’ata, ‘aore e pua’a

‘Aore e ra’i, ‘aore e marama, ‘aore e râ

‘Aore e peu i tupu.

E pa’a ana’e e ta’aminomino noa ra i roto i te ‘âere

Mai te hô’ê huero manu tâ te pô i ‘ôfa’a mai

‘O Rumia te i’oa o taua huero ra

Te pa’a o te atua mâtâmua ra ‘o Ta’aroa.

Millions and millions of years ago,

The universe was plunged into darkness.

Black darkness, thick and perpetual.

It was the Po, the great original night.

There was no land, no plants, no water.

Neither rocks, nor human beings, nor animals.

There was no sky, no moon, no sun

Nothing was formed, the world was asleep.

Only a sphere revolved in the immensity,

Like a bird’s egg that the Po would have hatched

Unique and primordial egg, it is Rumia

The shell of the first god, Ta’aroa

JM Pambrin