Karakia

What are karakia?

Karakia are prayers or incantations. They are generally used to ensure a favourable outcome to important events and undertakings such as tangihanga (the ritual of farewell to our deceased), hui (meetings), unveilings etc., however they can cover every aspect of life. For example: welcoming the dawn and farewelling the day, to ensure a safe journey, for different types of illness, when undertaking tā moko (tribal ‘tatoo’), when carving wharenui (meeting houses) or waka (traditional canoe), and more. Karakia, in their true essence, are ritual chants invoking spiritual guidance and protection.

Karakia are the chants of Māori ritual. They often used to call on the atua (gods) and are a means of participation, of becoming one, with the atua and the ancestors (including those who have lived before us and the natural world around us) and with events of the past in the ‘eternal present’ of ritual. A karakia is ‘a formula of words chanted to obtain benefit or avert trouble.’ Karakia were not used to worship or venerate gods. Traditionally there were a number of prescribed karakia that everyone knew .

NB: Within a public school context, we need to ensure that we use secular (non-religious) karakia.

Tūtawa mai