09/11/2025
I’ve seen grown men in senior positions melt down over karakia, and I’ve seen highly educated clinicians reduce karakia to their most simplistic form. Every time, I’m reminded how little nuance there is when it comes to understanding whakaaro that sits outside of Western frameworks.
Karakia and inoi are not the same.
Karakia are not faith-based, they are traditional forms of alignment, recitations of connection, protection, and intent. They existed long before Christianity arrived.
Inoi, however, came through religion, they carry belief, devotion, and faith in a higher being. Both have purpose, but they are not interchangeable.
When I use traditional karakia, they’re not influenced by faith, they are anchored in whakapapa, in mauri, and in the connection to atua and whenua. That’s what makes them so powerful as hauora practices, they centre our being, they remind us who we are.
If you’re curious about reconnecting with karakia in this way, comment “tihei” below and I’ll share my rauemi with you.
