By Roger Childs

Bless’ em all – karakia for the public

The demand for authentic welcomes and blessings is increasing and people want someone who can bring cultures together but also take them on a journey of understanding to help encourage better engagement with Te Ao Māori. –Take Tuia

The long, the short and the tall

You have my blessing, is a common phrase in western society and perhaps others, and is often given by parents or guardians to the relationships, enterprises and plans of their family. It is also something that is frequently sought to get the go-ahead for progress and developments. Ministers of the church frequently bless married couples, families, individual and groups, and in these instances there is a religious connotation. 

Over the past few decades a “Maori blessing” – usually a karakia (prayer) – has become standard for opening public facilities like highways, public gardens, memorials, hospitals, libraries and other public buildings. On these occasions when the blessing is granted, it is usually by a member of the local Maori elite and seems to have become obligatory in the present political climate. 

A case in point was the recent opening of the Wellington Public Library. 

The meaning of 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) orwaka (traditional canoe), and more. Karakia, in their true essence, are ritual chants invoking spiritual guidance and protection. University of Otago

Essentially they are positive and aimed at ensuring a favourable result.

 Are they Christian?

Strictly speaking they are not, as they pre-date the arrival of Christianity with the British and European settlers, and especially missionaries, in the early 19^th century. However once the Christian faith arrived and an increasing number of Natives/Maori took up the religion karakia took on a largely Christian context.

So today blessings often invoke the Christian God, but there are many Maori purists who want to see traditional Atua (Gods/guardians) as the centre-point of karakia.  Many non-Maori may wonder why public blessings don’t include the local ministers, rabbis and other religious leaders. 

There is also the question of whether local authorities feel obligated to have a Maori blessing when the new art gallery, library, hospital or some other public facility is opened.  Most New Zealanders are not Christians so should meetings, work days and official openings have a karakia?

My view is that they should not be imposed by the local Maori leadership and activists, and that in democratic fashion if there is to be a “blessing” the majority involved in the gathering, opening, whatever should assent to the process. If some do not wish to be part of it they should be excused. No payment/koha should change hands.