Ako to Action
Where: Hahuru Marae
When: August 23rd 2014
Purpose: To learn the art of Karanga from our Kuia
The bell summond us all into the Whare Tipuna where all the Tauira (students) became reaqauntied.We quickly settled on the matresses and tuned into the Mihi from local Kaumatua (elder men) Boycee (and another person who's name escapes me). They have an art of bringing everything together and creating the learning space in which we will be entering into as a roopu (group). I liken it to the elders giving us their blessing to proceed and to take any Patai (questions) from us tauira.
Before I continue on with the proceedings of the day, I want to share a Karanga experience that I was very fortunate to have. It was on Pukeatua Marae in Wainuiomata - which interestingly enough was the exact same Marae that my Mother did her first Karanga on when she was in her late 30's.
I was asked by my Te Reo Kaiako (teacher) if I would like to do the Karanga for our side during our Pōwhiri onto this Marae for our Noho expereince (as part of our course requirements). I hesitated to say yes, but was nrevous by the possibility that I could be doing a Karanga in a matter of weeks.
It is tika to surrender this post if there is someone more senior to you to complete the Karanga, and when I arrived on the day - barely on time, I saw an older Māori woman who was preparing to start the Karanga. I went over to see that she was ok to proceed and she didnt feel like she could do it confidently and left it to me to do on my own. I was both saddened that she wasnt going to do it, and equall grateful that I could do it too.
As we had been taught on our Poupou Karanga course, I had to zone out from any distractions and ground myself, ground myself to Papatūānuku (mother earth) and also do my karakia to te Atua - I chose to pray to God for guidance and safety from the unseen world. I relaised the power of the Karanga role, things were on hold until I was ready to go - I lead the group of about 80 manuhiri (guests) to the start of the Marae Atea (starting ground between us and the Tangata Whenua - people of the land). It was a surreal expereince, everything seemed to go quiet, I couldnt hear birds, or any other noise for that matter. I think this was proof that I was awaiting the first call from the other kaikaranga.
The Kaikaranga started lot quieter then I had expected. I was preparted to be loud, to give three calls and that they followed the Kawa (localised protocol) of where I come from:
1. The kaupapa (reason) in which we are visiting their marae
2. To acknowledge the people who have passed on
3. To reiterrate our kaupapa and acknowdegement of their hospitality
It seemed that the Kaikaranga weren't prepared for more then one call and I witnessed another lady rush to the side of the Kaikaranga to aid her in furthur response to my final two calls.
I felt totally grateful or the opportunity to be kaikaranga, and I did enjoy the expereince. I also felt the emmense responsibility of the role.
Time-travel back to my haerenga (trip) to Hahuru Marae and we were at the point of being given our instructions from our Kaumatua and Kuia. Whaea Milly stood and suggested that we be given the topic Marriage - this was going to set the Kaupapa for the day so that we could perform our learnings into action. We had to prepare 3 kaikaranga for the Manuhiri side and three to call from the Tangata Whenua side. I immediately volunteered to be on the Tangata Whenua side because I have NEVER been on that side in a Powhiri process before (obviously because I live outside of my tribal affiliations).
We gathered as Kaikaranga on the Tangata Whenua side and got preparing, we got our versus and headed out the back of the marae to practise. We realised how difficult it is to karanga a verse in one breath, and I am a non-smoker! Fast track to the actual practise run, and I was first, it felt AWESOME, I immediately felt the difference from being on the Manuhiri side, it felt more powerful and that the responsibilty was even greater, because I was the first call of the day. I felt the people who had been standing in that same position who had come and gone generations before me, I could feel the beckoning of our guests wanting to come and share there visit with us, I could feel the anticipation of our men who were going to follow on with the Whaikōrero. I could feel the observations from our expereinced Kaiako and I really wanted to prove to them how valuable there teachings were for me.
My fellow kaikaranga were equally amazing. They followed the teachings and gave it there best. I was proud to be a part of this group of learners. Our job was not complete, then we sat and listened to our Men do there whaikōrero, they were amazing and strong. They two had listended and weaved our karanga into there kōrero. This was a true balance of the Male and Female roles coming into perfect harmony.
As the first Kaikaranga, I was positioned to the front of the Marae for the duration of the Powhiri, this was because I was holding the Mauri (anchor) I was grounding the marae and the process. I felt so inept for this role. It gave me a vantage point that no others had, I could sit back and veiw the tangata whenua and manuhiri while they interacted.
The one thing I know for sure is this - I was born to Karanga!
Here is an example of what a karanga is, unfortunately I haven't got one of me doing one - yet. Enjoy.
