Karanga (Māori culture)

This article is about karanga, part of the powhiri, a Maori welcoming ceremony. For other uses of the word, see karanga (disambiguation).

A karanga (call out, summon) is an element of cultural protocol of the New Zealand Māori people. It is an exchange of calls that forms part of the powhiri, a Māori welcoming ceremony. It takes place as a visiting group moves onto the marae or into the formal meeting area. Karanga are carried out almost exclusively by women and in Māori language, and are initiated by the tangata whenua or hosts, and responded to by the visitors.

The karanga follow a particular format in keeping with protocol. This includes exchanging greetings, paying tribute to the dead (especially those who have most recently died), and referring to the reason that has brought the two groups together. It has an important function in building connections between the tangata whenua and manuhiri, and setting the agenda for the gathering.

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