This week I was caught out not knowing many karakia.
It’s pretty obvious when you’re the only male in a group of six that you don’t know the words. The lack of a low voice in the mix is pretty unmistakable.
So I did some searching and found a handy page on the University of Otago website. It has traditional karakia as well as Christian-influenced karakia, each with audio recordings, translations, and examples for kai and opening and closing hui.
Here’s the one I didn’t know: A traditional karakia for opening a hui.
Unuhia, unuhia
Unuhia ki te uru tapu nui
Kia wātea, kia māmā, te ngākau, te tinana, te wairua i te ara takatā
Koia rā e Rongo, whakairia ake ki runga
Kia tina! TINA! Hui e! TĀIKI E!
Draw on, draw on,
Draw on the supreme sacredness
To clear, to free the heart, the body and the spirit of mankind
Rongo, suspended high above us (i.e. in ‘heaven’)
Draw together! Affirm!
The Reo Project | Day 175