About the karakia
Karakia are prayers or incantations used by Māori to acknowledge and affirm the spiritual world and their ancestors. Māori families frequently use karakia in their day-to-day lives. In the case of upcoming surgery, karakia offers another element of protection to the person undergoing anaesthetic.
Creation of the ANZCA karakia was funded through a grant from the ANZCA Health Equity Projects Fund. The fund supports ANZCA’s work to improve the health and wellbeing of our community.
Who is it for?
Anyone is welcome to use this karakia, and we would encourage all hospitals and anaesthesia departments in Aotearoa/New Zealand and beyond caring for Māori patients (in particular) to:
- Print this A3 poster (with the original te Reo text and English translation) and put it on display.
- Print this A4 handout (also available in English) and offer to patients and their families/whānau.
- Print this poster with QR code to further information.
- Practice reciting it with the help of these beginner and expert pronunciation audio guides.
- What are karakia?
- About tohunga Mark Kopua
The Karakia Poka in practice
That solitary sheet of A4 holding the ANZCA Karakia Poka, provided a quality of care that freed my heart to speak. And in the speaking, the connections were drawn between us; us on both sides of the patients-only door. So that when the inevitable came, we were all protected and cared for. Ngā mihi, meitaki ma'ata me kia manuia
Download and print
This English translation of Mark Kopua's Karakia Poka is designed to be printed (A4) and offered to patients and their families and whānau to provide pre-surgery comfort.