What is Karakia?
Karakia are incantations, ritual chants, and intoned invocations that constitute a set form of words used to state or make effective a ritual activity in Māori tradition. Te Rangi Hīroa (Peter Buck) defined karakia as “a formula of words which was chanted to obtain benefit or avert trouble”. Unlike prayers that worship or venerate deities, karakia are the chants of Māori ritual that often call on the atua (gods) and serve as a means of participation, of becoming one with the atua, ancestors, and events of the past in the ‘eternal present’ of ritual.
What distinguishes karakia from other devotional practices is the precision required in their delivery. Karakia are recited rapidly using traditional language, symbols and structures, and traditionally correct delivery was essential—mispronunciation, hesitation or omissions courted disaster. The two most important symbols referenced in karakia are sticks and food, while the key actions are of loosing and binding, with images drawn from traditional narratives.
Origins & Lineage
The earliest known use of the term karakia in English is from the 1820s, with the Oxford English Dictionary’s earliest evidence dating to 1828 in the writing of J. Stack. However, the practice itself extends far deeper into Māori oral history, predating European contact by centuries. Some karakia, such as one attributed to the first arrivals from the Tainui waka (migration canoe), are among the very oldest known karakia composed in Aotearoa.
The missionary Richard Taylor provided a 19th-century view of the traditional role and scope of karakia, noting that Māori “have spells suited for all circumstances—to conquer enemies, catch fish, trap rats, and snare birds, to make their kumara grow, and even to bind the obstinate will of woman; to find anything lost; to discover a stray dog; a concealed enemy; in fact, for all their wants”. Tohunga (priests) were the most appropriate people to use karakia, as they were mediums for the gods, though all people—children as well as adults—used karakia.
Many karakia in common use today can be traced back to the 19th century following the introduction of Christianity, when new karakia were written or adapted to include Christian symbolism and acknowledge the Christian God and Jesus Christ, though others have been passed down from pre-colonial times or follow more ancient traditional formats.
How It’s Practiced
Karakia practice involves the recitation or chanting of specific formulaic texts in te reo Māori (the Māori language). Karakia relied on both the words chanted and the mana (spiritual authority) of the speaker. The texts are characterized by poetic imagery and metaphor, making literal English translations often impossible to capture their full meaning.
Karakia are generally used to ensure a favourable outcome to important events and undertakings such as tangihanga (the ritual of farewell to deceased), hui (meetings), and unveilings, but can cover every aspect of life, including welcoming the dawn and farewelling the day, ensuring a safe journey, addressing different types of illness, and when undertaking tā moko (tribal tattoo) or carving wharenui (meeting houses).
In harvesting medicinal plants, protocol (tikanga) mandates that before cutting any leaf or bark, the harvester recites a karakia to ask permission, stating their intention—who the medicine is for and why it is needed. This illustrates the reciprocal relationship between humans and the natural world mediated through karakia.
Karakia Today
In contemporary Aotearoa/New Zealand, karakia has become increasingly visible in both Māori and wider society. Karakia is part of tikanga (customary practice), and it is appropriate to include them at the beginning and end of meetings or gatherings, and before eating food. Many organizations, schools, and government institutions now open formal proceedings with karakia as an acknowledgment of te Tiriti o Waitangi (the Treaty of Waitangi) and indigenous protocol.
With the introduction of Christianity to New Zealand in the 19th century, new karakia were written to acknowledge the Christian God and Jesus Christ, though there is a current move towards using more traditional karakia which call upon many atua (gods/guardians) for direction and are poetic and full of beautiful imagery and metaphor. This represents a broader cultural resurgence and reclamation of pre-colonial spiritual practices.
Karakia are used for everything—to bring comfort to elders and their families, to petition the spiritual realm for support and guidance, to lift fear and anxiety, to bring strength and clarity, and to assist with events on the end of life journey, including strengthening people on rising and going to bed and giving thanks.
Common Misconceptions
Karakia is not simply “Māori prayer” in the Christian sense. Karakia were not used to worship or venerate gods—they are functional invocations designed to achieve specific outcomes by engaging spiritual forces. The missionary translation of karakia as “prayer” represents a significant conceptual shift that obscures the original meaning.
Karakia is not a casual practice that can be undertaken without understanding. The precision of language, context, and delivery matters deeply. One should not use a funeral karakia for a birth blessing—understanding the meaning and context behind the chants is essential. The appropriation of karakia without proper cultural understanding or permission constitutes cultural misappropriation.
Karakia is also not a static or monolithic tradition. The practice has evolved over centuries and continues to evolve today, incorporating both ancient forms and contemporary compositions that address modern contexts while maintaining traditional structure and purpose.
How to Begin
For those outside Māori culture seeking to understand karakia, the first step is to recognize that this is a living tradition belonging to a specific people and place. If you are new to using karakia or not feeling confident, choose a simple karakia and practice it before you speak, and ask a friend or colleague to help you prepare.
Begin by learning basic te reo Māori pronunciation, as the vibration and sound of the words carry meaning. Listen to recordings of karakia chanted by fluent speakers and tohunga. The University of Otago and Te Ara—The Encyclopedia of New Zealand provide accessible written and audio resources.
If you are Māori, connect with your own iwi (tribe) and hapū (sub-tribe) to learn the karakia specific to your whakapapa (genealogy). If you are not Māori but work in Aotearoa/New Zealand, seek guidance from Māori colleagues or cultural advisors about appropriate karakia for institutional settings and when it is respectful to participate versus when to remain silent and observe.
If you are not confident in speaking te reo, a moment of focused, silent intention setting is a valid form of spiritual preparation that aligns with the principles of karakia. Silence with genuine respect is always preferable to incorrect or inappropriate recitation.