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Just a week into using our new Kai Time Placemats and Mr 4 was already starting to get the hang of saying his Karakia to bless his food! I was honestly really impressed with how quickly he picked it up, but then he started to get a bit hōhā with it when he kept forgetting the last line, and resorted to making patero noises instead. Auē!
That got me thinking—it was definitely time to have a kōrero about the importance of Karakia and why we need to take it seriously. So I’ve put together this post to not only share some simple Karakia you can learn and teach to your tamariki, but also for you to dive into what Karakia really means with them as they start to properly respect and appreciate it.
In This Post:
-What is Karakia?
-When we say Karakia.
-5 Karakia to Learn:
-A Short Karakia to Bless the Food
-A Karakia to Thank God for our Food
-A Karakia to Start The Day
-A Karakia for The Morning
-A Karakia to End The Day
-BONUS: He Karakia o Te Atua – The Lords Prayer
-Final Thoughts.
What is Karakia?
A Karakia is like a Prayer, chant or song used by the Māori people to talk to our Atua (Gods), Tīpuna (Ancestors) or to Te Ao Wairua (the spiritual world).
It’s a special and powerful way for people to show that they are thankful, to ask for help, guidance and protection, or to pay respect to each other and the world around us.
Some Karakia are Christian and are addressed to God, whilst others are from before the Gospel came to Aotearoa and are said to the spirit world or the many Atua or Gods that Māori believe in.
By saying Karakia, we invite peace and blessings into our lives and the lives of others, and its a very sacred or tapu practice so its important that we follow a few simple steps when saying or listening to someone else say a Karakia:
- Turituri: Always stay quiet while a Karakia is being said so that everyone can hear it clearly and to show respect.
- Remove Your Hat: Just like when we take off our shoes before going in the house to show respect for the space, when a Karakia is being spoken, we take off our hats to show respect for the prayer.
- Whakarongo: Listen, pay attention to the words being said and see if you know any and try to be as still as a statue so that you don’t distract anyone during the Karakia.
- Hono mai: Once the Karakia is finished, its polite to show that you were listening and that you understood, and join in by saying “Āmine” (meaning Amen; a word used at the end of prayers that means ‘I Agree’ or ‘So be it’) to acknowledge that the Karakia is done.
When Do We Say Karakia?
We say Karakia at many different times because it helps us connect with Te Ao Wairua and show respect. We might say Karakia in the morning asking for a good day ahead and saying thank you for the sun that shines and the birds that sing.
Before we eat our meals, we say Karakia to show gratitude for the delicious food we have. It’s a way of thanking the people who grew the vegetables, caught the fish, or cooked the meal for us. Karakia helps us remember that kai (food) is special and nourishing for our tinana (bodies).
Sometimes, we say Karakia at special events like birthdays, funerals, or when someone graduates from school. These are big moments in our lives, and Karakia helps us mark them as important and celebrate the people we love.
At night, before we go to sleep, we can say Karakia to reflect on our day. We thank the spirits for watching over us and ask for good dreams and protection while we sleep. It’s like saying a bedtime story that makes us feel safe and cared for.
Karakia is for everyone! No matter how old we are, where we come from, or whether we’re a boy or a girl, Karakia is a way for all of us to talk to our Tīpuna and Gods and to show respect for each other and the world around us.
Nō reira, let’s explore 5 examples of some simple Karakia together,
PLUS a bonus Karakia at the end!
1.Tahi - Short Blessing for the Food:
This short and easy Karakia, (as featured on our Kai Time Placemat,) can be sung to the tune of ‘Mary Had a Little Lamb’ before each meal. We sing it to ‘Bless’ our kai, which is like saying thank you for the food and asking for good things to come from the kai we’re about to eat. Our Kai connects us to the Earth that it came from, as well as to each other when we share a meal together, so its always nice to say a quick little Karakia for it before we eat:
Whakapainga ēnei kai
Hei oranga mō te tinana
Mō ō mātou wairua
Hoki, Amine.
Bless these foods
For the goodness of our bodies,
and for our spirits as well
Amen.
2.Rua - Longer Blessing For The Food to God:
This next Karakia is a bit longer and is a special way to say thank you to God before we eat. Some people believe that God is a the one who is listening to all of our prayers from Heaven in the sky, that He watches over us and uses His special powers to help us and keep us safe.
E te Atua
Whakapainga ēnei kai
Hei oranga mō ō mātou tinana
Whāngaia hoki ō mātou wairua
ki te taro o te ora
Ko Ihu Karaiti tō mātou Ariki
Ake, Ake Ake,
Amine.
Lord God
Bless this food
For the goodness of our bodies
Feeding our spiritual needs also with the bread of life
Jesus Christ, our Lord
Forever and ever,
Amen.
3.Toru - Karakia To Start The Day:
Saying a Karakia in the morning is a nice way to start the day, so here is an easy one you can say after you wake up to help welcome the new day:
Korihi te manu
Takiri mai i te ata
Ka ao ka ao
Ka awatea
Tihei Mauri Ora
The bird sings
The morning has dawned
The day has broken
Behold – there is life!
4.Whā - Karakia for the Ata (Morning)
This morning Karakia is a little bit longer, but another good one to welcome in a new day so try giving this one a go too:
Kia hora te marino
Kia whakapapa pounamu te moana
Hei huarahi mā tātou i te rangi nei
Aroha atu Aroha mai
Tātou i ā tātou katoa
Hui ē! Tāiki ē!
May peace be widespread
May the seas be like greenstone
A pathway for us all this day
Let us show respect for each other
For one another,
Bind us all together!
5.Rima - Karakia to End The Day
And here is an easy one that you can say after a hui or before you go bed at night to end the day with:
Kua mutu ā mātou mahi
Mō tēnei wā
Manaakitia mai mā katoa
O mātou hoa
O mātou whānau
Aio ki te Aorangi
Our work is finished
For the moment
Blessing upon us all
Our friends
Our families
Peace to the Universe
BONUS - The Lords Prayer in Te Reo Maori:
As a bonus, we wanted to also include for you the kupu for ‘Te Karakia O Te Atua’ or ‘The Lords Prayer’ in Māori. Its a good one to keep in your kete because it can also be sung, and not only does it sound beautiful as a waiata, but its a meaningful way to connect with te reo Māori and enrich your spiritual practice.
E tō mātou Matua i te rangi
Kia tapu tou Ingoa
Kia tae mai tou rangatira-tanga.
Kia meatia tau e pai ai
ki runga i te whenua,
kia rite ano ki to te rangi.
Homai ki a mātou aianei
he taro mā mātou mo tēnei ra.
Murua o mātou hara
Me mātou hoki e muru nei
i o te hunga e hara ana ki a mātou.
Aua hoki mātou e kawea kia whaka-waia;
Engari whaka-orangia mātou, i te kino:
Nou hoki te rangatira-tanga,
te kaha,
me te kororia,
Ake, ake, ake,
Amine.
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy Name.
Thy Kingdom come,
thy will be done,
on earth
as it is in heaven.
Give us this day
our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those
who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
and the power,
and the glory,
forever,
Amen.
Well, there you have it Whānau!
Teaching our tamariki about Karakia isn’t just about learning and memorising the kupu; it’s about passing on our traditions and connecting the next generation with their culture. Whether it’s a quick Karakia before a meal or a more formal one for special events, these practices are deeply meaningful in Māori culture. By sharing these prayers with our tamariki, we pass on values of gratitude, respect, and connection to each other, our whenua and to our Atua and Tīpuna.
If you want to incorporate Karakia in your daily mealtime routines, consider using our Kai Time Placemat, now available in store. It makes it easy to remember to say your Karakia when its in front of you on the placemat and helps to foster an attitude of mindfulness and appreciation in our tamariki whilst practicing our reo at the same time!
If you’re ready to empower your pēpi’s young mind through the beauty of educational Te Reo Maori art, check out our online store now to shop our unique range of posters and digital prints, and reclaim ‘moa’ of your reo with your tamariki today!