Over a period of forty years Sir Apirana Ngata, distinguished leader and scholar, collected and recorded hundreds of songs and chants from the iwi of Aotearoa, which became the four volumes of Nga Moteatea, with translations and annotations by Ngata and Pei Te Hurinui Jones. This is the first volume of a new edition of this national treasure, the largest and most comprehensive collection of Maori waiata and a unique contribution to New Zealand poetry. It is a rich resource for continuing research and scholarship in many fields, offers prime texts in the teaching of Maori language, literature and tribal history and serves as inspiration for contemporary composition and performance. In 2005, this landmark edition was completely redesigned and republished in association with the Polynesian Society, preserving the integrity of Ngata and Jones’ original work while updating typography and language conventions, correcting errors, and adding macrons for modern usage. The edition also includes two audio CDs of selected waiata from the Archive of Maori and Pacific Music at the University of Auckland, bringing the voices of the ancestors to life.