Nursery Rhymes›iTaukei Lullaby
iTaukei LullabyiTaukei Lullaby
A lullaby from Fiji

iTaukei Lullaby

Key: A minor~53 BPMGuitar & Piano chordsOriginal · iTaukei, Fiji
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iTaukei Lullaby Lyrics. An original lullaby inspired by the indigenous iTaukei people of Fiji, who gather for the traditional kava ceremony inside the thatched bure house. Here you will find the lyrics, meaning, and chords.

Sing & play

Lyrics & chords

An original arrangement, with guitar & piano chords above each line.

Verse

Am Dm Am
Sleep now, nau’s little one, the kava bowl is still,
Dm Am E7
the woven mats rest in the bure, upon the village hill.
Am Dm Am
Sleep now, little one, the coral reef is near,
Dm Am E7
tomorrow’s sun will rise for you, and chase away all fear.
In English

What the words mean

“Sleep now, nau’s little one, the kava bowl is still, the woven mats rest in the bure, upon the village hill. Sleep now, little one, the coral reef is near, tomorrow’s sun will rise for you, and chase away all fear.”
Play it

Chords — guitar & piano

Am
x
Guitar
CEA
Piano
Dm
xx
Guitar
DFA
Piano
E7
Guitar
EBG#
Piano
Good to know

What “iTaukei Lullaby” Means

“Nau” is an affectionate Fijian word for mum. The indigenous iTaukei people of Fiji gather for the yaqona (kava) ceremony inside the traditional thatched bure house, a central part of village life. This original lullaby draws on those kava-ceremony and village images of iTaukei life, with “nau” used as a warm address rather than a literal translation.

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