Taoto, pepe
This lullaby is from Tahiti, the most populous island in French Polynesia…
Taoto, pepe
Sleep Baby
Lullaby
Lullaby
(Tahitian)
(English)
Taoto, pepe
Taoto te pepe taoto e
Era mama tei te a' au
Era papa tei te peho
E ti' i atu ra i te fe'i
Hamani popoi na ' aiu.
Sleep baby,
Sleep baby sleep, yea,
Mama went to the reef
Papa went to the valley
To pick plantains
To make baby's porridge.
 - Mama Lisa's World: Children's Songs and Rhymes from Around the World
"Pin It")
Notes
Here's another version of this lullaby:
Taoto, pepe
Era mama tei te aau
Era papa tei te peho
Te tii maira te fei
Hamani popoi na aiu.
English Translation:
Sleep baby,
Mommy is at the reef,
Daddy is in the valley
Looking for fei's*
To make popoi* for baby*.
*Fei: a variety of cooking banana.
*Popoi: banana cooked, puréed and mixed with coco milk (very good, babies love it).
*"Pepe" and "aiu": Two words for "baby". "Pepe" also means "butterfly".
Many thanks to Christine Vinolo for singing this lullaby for us! Check out her site for more Tahitian music for kids.
Thanks and Acknowledgements
Many thanks to Reva Goltz for contributing the 2nd version of this lullaby, for the French translation and the song notes. 1st version sent and translated into French by Christine Vinolo. 1st English translation by Mama Lisa.
Image: Gauguin
Mauruuru roa!
