"Te Wai o Whanganui/That Rapidly Descends, The River Of Wanganui [first line]." Te Ao Hou 24 (1958): 21.
Kingi Ihaka writes: "For years, the question of the ownership of the Wanganui River has been a matter of several Court proceedings and is today still undecided. On 6th January 1939, Mr Whanarere was in bed ill. His late father, Mr Rama Whanarere, who was prominent chief of his tribe, was one of the elders who urged the Wanganui tribes to unite in their efforts to claim and retain the ownership of the river. This inspired Ope and while ill he composed this song which has been adopted by the Putiki Māori Club of Wanganui as its theme action song." ("Māori Action Songs." Te Ao Hou 24 (1958): 20-21.)

Te Rena Whakawharerahi