"God Defend New Zealand" is one of the two national anthems of New Zealand, the other being "God Save the King". It was originally a poem written by Thomas Bracken[1] in the 1870s until it was set to music by John Joseph Woods as part a competition for ten guineas in 1876. Two years later, Thomas Henry Smith wrote the lyrics in Māori—one of the country's official languages. The anthem was adopted in 1977.[2]
Lyrics[]
According to copyright law of New Zealand, the English lyrics are no longer copyrighted since the beginning of 1949 or the end of the 50-year mark of Bracken's death,[3] and since the 1980s, the rights to the musical score are in the public domain.[4]
It is called "Aotearoa" in Māori, which literally translates to 'New Zealand'. The meaning of the Māori lyrics are slightly different from the English lyrics.
| English lyrics | Māori lyrics | English translation of Māori lyrics |
|---|---|---|
God of Nations at Thy feet, |
E Ihowā Atua, |
O Lord, God, |
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Bracken, Thomas 1843 – 1898 (2007-06-22). Broughton, W.S. Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Ministry for Culture and Heritage.
- ↑ National anthems: History of God Defend New Zealand. Ministry for Culture and Heritage (23 March 2015).
- ↑ Copyright Act 1994 No 143 (1 March 2017). Public Act Contents. Legislation.govt.nz. Parliamentary Counsel Office. Retrieved 7 September 2017.
- ↑ National anthems – New Zealand's anthems. Swarbrick, Nancy (June 2012). Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand. Retrieved 18 October 2017.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 https://mch.govt.nz/nz-identity-heritage/national-anthems/god-defend-new-zealandaotearoa National anthems: God Defend New Zealand/Aotearoa. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. 25 March 2015. Retrieved 15 August 2015.
- ↑ E Ihowa atua: "Triple Star". Folksong.org.nz. [Contains the English translation of the Māori lyrics.]