Six Months in a Leaky Boat/Ono Marama Takerehāia

'Six Months in a Leaky Boat'  remains one of the most beloved Split Enz songs. The 1982 track evokes both arduous sea journeys bringing European settlers to Aotearoa, and a tough period in composer Tim Finn's personal life. In this video from Waiata Anthems, Finn and four wāhine Māori vocalists reimagine the song in te reo Māori. The tempo is slowed, and new lyrics and female voices create a new wairua (spirit).  Finn collaborated with mātanga reo (language expert) Hana Mereraiha to reinvent his tale of tough passages. Joining him at the mic are Mereaiha, Bella Kalolo, Tuakoi Ohia and Kiratahanga Hona.

That metaphor was both related to the actual experience of the European getting on a horrible, smelly, leaky boat and travelling all this distance, but it also was definitely to do with coming through a hard time...

– Tim Finn is asked to explain the central metaphor of 'Six Months in a Leaky Boat', on his Waitata Anthems episode

Key Cast & Crew

Tim Finn

Subject, Composer

Hana Mereraiha

Mātanga Reo (Language Consultant)

Evan Howell

Cinematographer

Kayne Ngātokowhā Peters

Producer

Jeremy Star

Editor

Julia Parnell

Director, Producer