Vector Lights is celebrating this festive season with a brand-new light and sound show based on the New Zealand children’s Christmas book We Wish You a Kiwi Christmas.

Little Kiwi dreams of riding through the skies with Santa and is surprised one Christmas Eve to come across Santa with a broken-down sleigh. With the help of some of her bird friends, Little Kiwi finally gets her wish!

Sing along to the words in English and Maori with Pio Terei – see the lyrics below.

Vector Lights for a Kiwi Christmas - What you need to know
 

• The light and sound show will play from Thursday 12 December to Wednesday 25 December from 9pm until midnight, every 15 minutes. 

• Head to vector.co.nz/lights to listen live, or to watch the livestream recording. Some of the best viewing places include Little Shoal Bay, Westhaven Marina, and Silo Park.

• Share your photos on Instagram using #vectorlights

• Vector Lights is part of a smart energy partnership between Vector, Auckland Council and NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi.

• We Wish You A Kiwi Christmas is written by Lynette Evans; illustrations by Myles Lawford; musical recording and arrangement by Pio Terei; Māori lyrics by Ngaere Roberts. All rights reserved by Scholastic New Zealand.

 

​We Wish You a Kiwi Christmas  - English and Māori Lyrics

We wish you Kiwi Christmas,  
He mihi Kirihimete Kiwi,
a sweet-as Kiwi Christmas,
mihi kau ana mō te Tau Hou,
a cracker Kiwi Christmas,
mīharo, tumeke,
and a ka pai new year!
ka mau te wehi! 
 
Little Kiwi she searched
I te kimi a Kiwi
for signs of a sleigh;
ngā tohu kōneke;
the bush was a-buzzing -
i te wheo te ngāhere -
Santa’s on his merry way!
Hana Koko ahu mai!
 
Her friends they were tucked
I te moe ōna hoa,
up warm in their nests,
i o rātau kōhanga,
that were for the season
kōhanga ataahua
most jauntily dressed.
kei runga noa atu!
 
 
Glow-worms they shone
Tīaho titiwai
like jewels from afar.
me he rei pāmamao,
Each Pohutukawa
ngā pōhutukawa
blazed like a red star.
me he whetū o te pō.
 
Little Kiwi she wished
I te hiahia a Kiwi
that she could fly high,
ki te rere rangi,
up there with dear Santa
rāua ko Hana Koko
in the star-bright night sky.
ki ngā whetū o te pō.
 
We wish you Kiwi Christmas,  
He mihi Kirihimete Kiwi,
a sweet-as Kiwi Christmas,
mihi kau ana mō te Tau Hou,
a cracker Kiwi Christmas,
mīharo, tumeke,
and a ka pai new year!
ka mau te wehi! 
 
But something in the night
I titiro a Kiwi
made our Kiwi stand still,
ka ohorere,
for someone was sitting
ko wai te tangata,
all alone on the hill.
i runga i te puke?
 
Oh No! Is that Santa
Aue! Hana Koko
with a broken-down sleigh?
kōneke pakaru?
Don’t tell me his reindeer
Kei hea ra ōna tia
have all run away!
kua oma katoa!
 
“Help me!” cried Santa,
Ka karanga a Hana Koko
“I’ve run out of puff.”
“Kua pau taku hau.
Those naughty old reindeer
Kua hōhā aku tia,
have had quiet enough.
kua tahuti kē.”
 
“If this sleigh doesn’t rise
“Ki te kore taku waka,
and fly through the sky,
rere ki te rangi,
the stockings won’t be filled
tamariki koha kore,
and the children will cry!”
tangi tangi. Aue!”
 
We wish you Kiwi Christmas,
He mihi Kirihimete Kiwi,
a sweet-as Kiwi Christmas,
mihi kau ana mō te Tau Hou,
a cracker Kiwi Christmas,
mīharo, tumeke,
and a ka pai new year!
ka mau te wehi! 
 
Then Santa he whistled
Ka karanga, ka whiowhio
and called them by name,
a Hana Koko,
but no reindeer answered,
ahakoa tonu tērā,
not a single one came.
ngaro tonu atu.
 
“No worries, dear Santa,”
“Kei te pai Hana Koko,”
Kiwi said in reply.
te kī a Kiwi.
“I’ve plenty of friends
“He nui aku hoa,
who can fly far and high.
kaha ki te rere.”
 
“We’ll soon have you zooming
“Ākuni koe ka tere,
up, up and away,
rere runga rawa,
delivering your presents –
ki te hari i o koha -
there’ll be no delay!”
me tere haere!”
 
Little Kiwi she woke
Ka haruru te reo
her friends from their sleep,
tīkā te karanga,
with a deep-throated call
rongo ana ngā hoa,
and a high-pitched peep-peep.
oho mai ana e!
 
We wish you Kiwi Christmas, 
He mihi Kirihimete Kiwi,
a sweet-as Kiwi Christmas,
mihi kau ana mō te Tau Hou,
a cracker Kiwi Christmas,
mīharo, tumeke,
and a ka pai new year!
ka mau te wehi! 
 
“Wake up now sleek Tui
“Maranga mai ra e Tūī,
and sleepy Kereru…
me koe Kererū …
wake up now friend Fantail
oho mai Tīrairaka,
and cheeky Kea, too”
me koe Kea tutū.”
 
“Brave Bellbird come along,
“Haere mai Korimako,
and shy Kokako,
Kōkako whakamā,
you can all work together
ki te mahi ngātahi, 
and see how you go.”
kia kaha koutou!”   
 
Then in flew silent Ruru
Ka rere mai ko Ruru
from his night-hunting spree,
rapu kai i ngā pō,
and Santa called Kiwi
ka karanga a Hana Koko,
to sit on his knee.
“Kiwi Paku, piki mai!”
 
Little Kiwi she bounced
Ka rekareka a Kiwi,
In pure delight,
ka hari, ka koa,
as the sleigh sored, skywards
ahiahi Kirihimete
on that Christmas Eve night.
rere ki te rangi.
 
She looked all around,
Ka kekeho a Kiwi
and with a soft, dreamy sigh,
ka mapu tūtoro,
said, “Who dares to say
“Ko wai ka kōrero,
that Kiwis can’t fly!”
kiwi kore rere?”
 
We wish you Kiwi Christmas, /
He mihi Kirihimete Kiwi,
a sweet-as Kiwi Christmas,
mihi kau ana mō te Tau Hou,
a cracker Kiwi Christmas,
mīharo, tumeke,
and a ka pai new year!
ka mau te wehi! 


^{We Wish You A Kiwi Christmas is written by Lynette Evans; illustrations by Myles Lawford; musical recording and arrangement by Pio Terei; Maori lyrics by Ngaere Roberts. All rights reserved by Scholastic New Zealand}
 

GLOSSARY

ahu mai - approaching
kekeho - gaze about
kōneke - sleigh
mapu - sigh
rei - jewellery
tahuti - run away
tia - reindeer
tīkā - shrill sounding
titiwai - glow-worm
tutū - causing mischief


Part of a smart energy partnership between Vector, Auckland Council and NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, Vector Lights is an experience and a destination, giving Aucklanders a focal point for celebration and recognition.