Level up with te reo Māori in meetings with karakia, mihimihi, and acknowledgments.
Learn how to use karakia and mihi to establish and maintain whakawhanaungatanga (relationships and relating well to others).
Are you familiar with the use of karakia?
What about mihimihi?
Why is establishing a safe and trusting space so important when meeting people for the first time?
Learn key phrases for opening, closing, and acknowledging others in meetings.
Pepeha or a traditional Māori introduction is covered in our pepeha course.
We also have a more in-depth mihimihi course.
This mihi is less formal and a shorter way to introduce yourself at the beginning of a work meeting or gathering.
Tēnā koutou katoa = Greetings/hello to you all (three or more people)
Ko ____ tōku ingoa = My name is _________
Nō ____ ōku tīpuna = My ancestors are from __________
Kei te noho au ki ____ = I live in/am currently from_________
Karakia selection - see lesson #rua of our Karakia course.
In terms of hosting or beginning a meeting, this karakia can be your go-to:
It was developed by Professor Scotty Morrison at Massey University.
Tūtawa mai i runga
Tūtawa mai i raro
Tūtawa mai i roto
Tūtawa mai i waho
Kia tau ai
Te mauri tū
Te mauri ora
Ki te katoa
Haumi e
Hui e
Tāiki e!
Come forth from above,
below, within,
and from
the environment
Vitality
and well-being, for all
Strengthened in unity.
Role-play opening a morning meeting with some te reo Māori.
Now imagine you are about to greet a small group for a hui and then build some whanaungatanga with introductions around the table.
You need to model this and put everybody at ease.
Lastly, try a simple broad greeting, your short mihi and then rehearse the opening karakia.
Here are some pātai (questions) to support your whaiwhakaaro (reflection).
| How do I say/pronounce ____ in Māori? | He aha te kupu Māori _____? |
| What does ______ mean? | He aha te kupu ____? |
| Can you repeat that? |
Kōrero mai anō? |
| Is my pronunciation right? | Kei te tika taku whakahua i te kupu ___? |
| Why? | He aha i pērā ai? |
| What made it so? | Nā te aha i pērā / pēnā ai? |
| What is your thinking? | He aha tō whakaaro? |
| What is your knowledge? | He aha tō mōhio? |