Kiddy Karanga

Episode 10 - Kiddy Karanga (Based on a True Story) 

There's a reason why, in the time of our tipuna, only the pakeke of each whānau would perform the karanga: It's dangerous, and there are many rules to adhere to, including being a pakeke or a kuia. If you're a rangatahi, to put it bluntly, wairua can smell blood (if you know what I mean). Karanga on a marae raises the stakes - it's a wāhi tapu, and even what you wear is a factor. It should be a panekoti. "Whenua ki te whenua", as the old kuia would say. But most importantly, whenever you call out to the dead, you have to accept the real possibility that they might hear your call and answer it. Karanga is like the old party phone lines where anyone on the same party line could listen in. And just like a phone, anyone can pick it up and make a call - anyone. There's the 'never, ever karanga at night' rule, and the list is endless. The responsibility is enormous. Many years ago, I was at a wananga when a child wearing jeans stood on the marae at night and did a karanga. Oh dear... I didn't see it, but I heard about it. Everyone did. This story is a reimagining of the chaos that ensued. 

 

T.A. Whero