Over the years, I’ve gathered a bunch of different karakia, waiata, a few whakataukī (and whakatauāki). I’ve listed them all here to help out! Especially if you’re a beginner like me! I’ve also tried to explain where I got them from and some of the meaning behind them. As tangata Tiriti, it’s super important to respect and try to understand as much as we can!
Click on the heading below to open the section 👇🏼
Karakia are an important aspect of te ao Māori. They are used in many different contexts, and both formal and informal situations. It is difficult, as with many other Māori concepts and kupu (words), to adequately translate ‘karakia’ into English. As in the definition above, ‘chant’ may be the most objective translation. In some contexts, people consider them a “prayer” and there is a heavy Christian influence, especially in post-colonial history. You will find that many organisations and people will use a translated Christian prayer for karakia, and will end with the phrase āmene – which is the transliterated translation of the Christian phrase “Amen”.
Karakia are used for many different purposes – some in daily, informal spaces; others in formal contexts. Here is a further explanation taken from the karakia blog by Reo Māori Mai. And another detailed article from Dr Karaitiana Taiuru.
Hui Timatanga (For beginning of meetings)
To start a meeting. The karakia is to make the hui (meeting) a safe space for all those taking part and open the space both psychologically and spiritually. Here are a couple that I have found which are appropriate. Please note, while I have personally chose to lean towards secular (non-religious) karakia, sometimes the kaupapa (reason for the meeting) may call for a religious or Christian karakia. It is always a good idea to follow the tikanga (customs and rituals) of who is hosting you, and more often than not, you should ask if they wish to do their regular karakia, instead of assuming that it will be your responsibility.
Tuia i runga
Whakarongo ake au
Ki te tangi a te manu
E rere runga rawa e
Tui, tui, tui, tuia
Tuia i runga
Tuia i raro
Tuia i roto
Tuia i waho
Tui, tui, tuia
Kia rongo te ao
Kia rongo te pö
Tui, tui, tuia
Stitch it together
I listen I listen,
where up high a bird flies
Its cry rings out
Sew, stitch, bind it together
From above
From below
From within
From outside
Sew and bind it together
During the day
and the night
Sew, stitch, bind it together
Karakia Timatanga
E te hui
Whāia te mātauranga kia mārama
Kia whai take ngā mahi katoa
Tū māia, tū kaha
Aroha atu, aroha mai
Tātou i a tātou katoa
Opening karakia (no official name)
For this meeting
Seek knowledge for understanding
Have purpose in all that you do
Stand tall, be strong
Let us show respect
For each other
Karakia whakatuwhera
Kia hora te marino
Kia whakapapa-pounamu te moana
Hei huarahi mā tātou i te rangi nei
Aroha atu, aroha mai
Tātou i a tātou katoa
Hui e! Tāiki e!
Opening karakia (no official name)
May peace be widespread
May the sea be like greenstone
A pathway for us all this day
Let us show respect for each other
For one another
Bind us all together!
Mā te rongo, ka mohio
Mā te rongo, ka mōhio
Mā te mōhio, ka mārama
Mā te mārama, ka mātau
Mā te mātau, ka ora
From listening, comes knowledge
From listening, comes knowledge
From knowledge, comes understanding
From understanding, comes wisdom
From wisdom, comes well-being
Mā te hau mahana
Mā te hau mahana
Mā te hīhī o te rā
Me te wairua o tātou tīpuna
e manaaki e tiaki i te {**} i tēnei [*]
{**} ingoa o te kamupene/rōpu
[*] ata / ahiahi / pō / hui
From the warm winds
May the warm wind
May the sun’s energy
May the spirit of our ancestors
Guide and protect {**} this [*]
{**} the name of your company/group
[*] day / afternoon / evening / meeting
Whakataka te hau
Whakataka te hau ki te uru
Whakataka te hau ki te tonga
Kia mākinakina ki uta
Kia mātaratara ki tai
E hī ake ana te atākura
He tio, he huka, he hauhū
Tihei mauri ora!
Get ready for the winds
Get ready for the westerly
and be prepared for the southerly.
It will be icy cold inland,
and icy cold on the shore.
May the dawn rise red-tipped on ice,
on snow, on frost.
Hui Whakakapi (for closing of meetings)
To finish a meeting. The karakia is to close the space for returning to everyday activities. Here are a couple that I have found which are appropriate. Please note, while I have personally chose to lean towards secular (non-religious) karakia, sometimes the kaupapa (reason for the meeting) may call for a religious or Christian karakia. It is always a good idea to follow the tikanga (customs and rituals) of who is hosting you, and more often than not, you should ask if they wish to do their regular karakia, instead of assuming that it will be your responsibility.
He karakia whakakapi
Kia whakairia te tapu
Kia wātea ai te ara
Kia turuki whakataha ai
Kia turuki whakataha ai
Haumi e. Hui e. Tāiki e!
Closing Karakia (no official name)
Restrictions are moved aside
So the pathways is clear
To return to everyday activities
To return to everyday activities
He karakia Whakamutunga
Kia tau iho ngā manaakitanga o te wāhi ngaro
ki runga ki tēnā, ki tēnā o tātau
Kia mahea te hua mākihikihi.
Kia Toi te kupu, kia toi mana, kia toi te aroha, kia toi te māramatanga, kia toi te reo Māori
Tūturu whakamaua kia tina.
Hui e! Tāiki e!
Closing Karakia (no official name)
May the respect and kindness of that which cannot be seen
Be bestowed upon us all
May the seeds of doubt be cleared away
Let the words, the power, the love, the understanding, the language
Be established once again, hold it firmly.
Let it remain forever!
He karakia Whakamutunga
Te whakaeatanga e
Te whakaeatanga e
Tēnei te kaupapa ka ea
Tēnei te wānanga ka ea
Te mauri o te kaupapa ka whakamoea
Te mauri o te wānanga ka whakamoea
Koa ki runga, koa ki raro
Haumi e, hui e, tāiki e
– Nā Scotty Morrison
Closing Karakia (no official name)
It is completed, it is done
We have achieved our purpose, completed our forum
Let the purpose of our gathering rest for now
Let the vitality of our discussions replenish
We depart with fulfilled hearts and minds, bonded in our common goal and unity
-by Scotty Morrison
Karakia mō te Kai (before you eat)
At many Māori hui it is expected that the food is blessed using a blessing in Māori language. The blessings of food is an introduced religious practice, predominately a Christian practice and not a pre colonial Māori practice.
Traditionally, Māori would say a karakia of acknowledgement and thanks to the gods of the food that they were about to partake of. They would also offer some food to the deities or atua. There were also strict rules about not eating various foods together as it would cause the deities and gods to clash.
If you have a meal of kūmara and bird meat, you might karakia to Rongo-mā-Tāne the god of cultivated foods and Tāne Mahuta the god of all birds. You could likely also provide a part of your meal to the spirits and or to the gods as an acknowledgement of thankfulness for the food. Depending on the situation, a karakia to the deity of the particular species would occur.
In today’s modern world we have processed food that often does not have a direct relation to any deity. So a careful choice of words need to be considered.
(further analysis from Dr Karaitiana Taiuru) Unless you have food from the forest such as birds and plants; food from the ocean such fish and shell fish; cultivated and cultivated and uncultivated food such as Kūmara and fern root, then a karakia that acknowledges food sources defeats the purpose of the karakia. The first karakia version below (which is a very common and popular one) also makes direct reference to Maru, who is a deity of war in only some Iwi Māori, and a deity of water in other Iwi Māori, which demonstrates the fact that if you are not in the right area, your karakia might not be suitable.
Karakia mō te kai
Nau mai e ngā hua
o te wao
o te ngakina
o te wai tai
o te wai Māori
Nā Tane
Nā Rongo
Nā Tangaroa
Nā Maru
Ko Ranginui e tū iho nei
Ko Papatūānuku e takoto nei
Tuturu whakamaua
Kia tina! TINA! Hui e! TĀIKI E!
Traditional Karakia for food
I welcome the gifts of food
from the sacred forests
from the cultivated gardens
from the sea
from the fresh waters
The food of Tane
of Rongo
of Tangaroa
of Maru
I acknowledge Ranginui who is above me, Papatūānuku who lies beneath me
Let this be my commitment to all!
Draw together! Affirm!
He karakia Whakamutunga
E whakamānawa ana
Ki ngā ringa i whakatipu
Ki ngā ringa i whakarite
I ēnei haupa hei kai mā tātou
Haumi ē, hui ē, tāiki e!
Traditional Karakia for food
Let us bless
The hands that grew
The hands that made ready
this food that we will eat
Draw together! Affirm!
Waiata are songs that are sung to acknowledge your speaker. Here are some waiata tautoko that are common and easy to learn. A waiata tautoko is sung to thank the speaker for doing the initial introduction.
Click on the relevant tab below to check out five other Waiata with Youtube links 👇🏼
Tai Aroha
Ko te aroha anō he wai
E pupū ake ana
He awa e māpuna mai ana
I roto i te whatu-manawa (x2)
Ko tōna mātāpuna he hōhonu
Ā inā ia ka rere anō (x2)
He tai timu
He tai pari
He tai ope
He tai roa
He tai nui, He tai nui, He tai nui
Tide of Love
Love is like water
continually bubbling up
a spring that will keep flowing
from within your soul.
Its source is deep within
it has a soothing effect
an ebb tide
an incoming tide
a forceful tide
a long-lasting tide
a full tide.
Rongomai
Huri ai e amiorangi
Whērokiroki nei e
te whānau mārama i te rangi e
kia rere noa au
i ngā parihau o te waka atea
rere takiwā
huri ai e amiorangi. (x2)
Tīramarama nei e
te auahi tūroa i te rangi e
kia rere noa au
i tōna pūhihi, hune toroa
kia mihi noa au
ki te hunga whetūrangi. (x2)
Aiō ana mai
te marino i te rangi e
kia rere noa au
i te raukura o Rongomai
rere mata ao
ki te hono i te rongo. (x2)
Rongomai (Name of atua)
Orbiting always
Blurring / shining
the stars in the heavens
I will fly
on the wings of a spacecraft (the stars)
flying to all areas (planets)
orbiting always
Glittering / sparkling
The comet in the heavens
I will fly
on its whiskers, dune albatross
so I can acknowledge
to the multitude of stars/galaxies
Peace continues
the tranquility in the heavens
I will fly
on the feathered plume of Rongomai
fly over the face of planets
to join through listening
(By Hirini Melbourne)
Ngā whakamoemiti
Nga Whakamoemiti
Whakawhetai
E Ihu e
Mo ou manaakitanga
Ki te iwi
E tau nei
Ko koe te piringa
Ka puta ki te oranga
E te Ariki
Pai marire
Thanksgiving
Praising and giving thanks to Jesus
For his blessings
Up to the people who have assembled here
You are the one that will bring us together
And show us a better life
Lord everlasting peace
Ka pioioi
Ka pīoioi e
Tohu aroha haukāinga
E hoki mai rā
Kia kite atu i tō iwi e.
E rotarota ana
E katakata ana mai rā.
Pūkana whētero mai
I te ihi ā ō mātua.
Kia kite atu ano
I tō ataahua ai kanapa
Pupuhi ai e te hau
Kapohia āku roimata.
Ka pīoioi he
tohu aroha haukāinga
This swaying dance
This swaying dance
shows the love of your home-town people.
You’ve come back home,
to see your people.
There is gesturing and
laughing with joy at your return,
Eyes popping and tongues thrusting
from the energy of those performing.
I see again
your beauty gleaming there
caressed by the wind,
and my tears are snatched away.
This fluttering dance
shows your home-town people’s love.
Homai tō poho
Homai tō poho hei piringa.
Tō poho hei piringa.
Homai tō kiri kia rongo atu au.
Tō kiri kia rongo atu au.
Homai te kupu kia koorero.
Te kupu kia kōrero.
Nāu nei au, nāu nei au.
Auee.
Give me your chest
Lend me your chest
So that I might be comforted
Your chest that I might seek comforted
Give me your skin to touch
So that I might sense you
Your skin so I might sense you
Give me your words
Your words that speak to me
Your words that speak
You are me, I am you.
Hei Waiata, Hei Whakakoakoa
Hei Waiata, Hei Whakakoakoa has been developed to support the teaching and learning of te reo Māori in English-medium schools.
Hei Waiata, Hei Whakakoakoa consisted of a CD and an accompanying book. The CD is now a digital download in MP3 format. There are forty-six tracks – a mixture of waiata and haka. The book contains curriculum links, activities, notes about the waiata and haka (including translations and meanings), lyrics, and song sheets (manuscript music).
Individual tracks from the CD or MP3 may be duplicated for classroom use. The lyrics and song sheets may be photocopied or printed for classroom use. The song sheets can be used for accompanying performances, practising playing an instrument or singing from a score. The song sheets are always in the same key as the waiata on the CD or MP3.
Whakataukī give an insight into Māori thought. The word whakataukī can be split into whaka (to cause), tau (to be settled) and kī (a saying), thus a whakataukī is a saying that has become settled over time, through constant repetition from the time it was first exclaimed right up to the present day.
A whakatauākī is a proverb where the original speaker is known, for example “Ehara a Hikurangi i te maunga haere” was said by Te Kani-a-Takirau of Ngāti Porou so is a whakatauākī, whereas “Ahakoa he iti, he pounamu” is a whakataukī as it is not known who originally said this.
We are careful not to assume that we understand fully when using either whakataukī or whakatauakī, but do a bit of reading around the regular usages of the phrase you are choosing and see whether it really fits into the context you are trying to convey.
| Te reo Māori | Te reo Pākehā (English) |
|---|---|
| Piki atu ki te taumata o tōku maunga. Ka kite au i te mana, i te ihi o te whenua nei nō ōku tupuna. | I climb to the summit of my mountain to see the lands of my ancestors. |
| Ta te tamariki tana mahi wawahi tahā | It is the job of the children to smash the calabash |
| Tōku reo, tōku ohooho, tōku reo, tōku māpihi maurea, tōku reo, tōku whakakai marihi. | My language is my awakening, my language is my treasure, my language is my prized possession. |
| Kua tawhiti kē tō haerenga mai, kia kore e haere tonu. He nui rawa ō mahi, kia kore mahi tonu – Nā Tā Himi Henare | You have come too far, to not go further, you have done too much, not to do more – by Himi Henare |
| Kia mate ururoa, kei mate wheke. | Fight like a shark, don’t give in like an octopus. |
There are a lot more here on a course content page created by Regan Stokes, Damien Taylor, Joshua Toki and Jamie Stevenson. They created this page when they ran a series of te reo Māori lessons in Ōtautahi (Christchurch)