Minita-a-iwi Te Papara Kopa-Katene from Waikato Rohe offers this reflection on whakapai kai (blessing food), an act of community love. Government action on reducing child poverty has surfaced in our most recent budget. Notwithstanding the impact on the increased cost of living and access to affordable food, it raises yet again issues of food security and food equity. Whakapai kai leads us to pause and be grateful as we make this blessing with a greater sense of sincerity and mindfulness.

E Ihowā whakapaingia ēnei kai

Hei oranga mō ō mātou tinana

Whāngaia ō mātou wairua ki te taro o te ora

Ko Ihu Karaiti hoki tō mātou Kaiwhakaora

Amine

Te Inoi mō te Whakapai Kai

Te Papara Kopa-Katene

My Dad didn’t use these exact words. He said something different, yet the meaning was still the same for whakapai kai was about blessing food and giving thanks. Whakapai kai was also about warding off any harm and that acknowledgement was just as important as the food and the way the food was prepared. Whakapai kai, ngā kupu puta mai, te taro o te ora. Ehara i ngā kupu hou. Te nuinga o ngā kupu mai te karaipiture. I listened to my Dad and my uncles; the words they used sustained life and were not new, they came from the scriptures.

Growing up on a farm in the Waikato, we were always conscious of where our food came from and how it was prepared. Many people now have gone back to growing their own māra kai (garden) to supplement their living. Dad sold our mutton and beef. We did not kill our sheep and cows for ourselves. We did however keep ngā whiwhinga the (tender fat) surrounding the whēkau (organs), mutton liver, kidneys, heart, and brains. It was a delicacy. Special cuts like chops and roasts were saved only for special occasions. They did not come around very often. We never wasted kai and we looked forward to those special occasions.

Childhood memories I hold are of at least 20 – 30 kids sitting around an open fire eating lambs’ tails and pan-fried mountain oysters over steamed watercress, with butter running down our lips. We appreciated what we had, and we thoroughly enjoyed it. We were not ashamed of what we ate, or who we ate with, Pakeha or Māori. Our appreciation in karakia reflects this was not a dirty kai, not harmful and did not need to be thoroughly cleansed because through prayer it was blessed. I never knew anyone who got sick from eating kai like this.

We were mindful of our eating habits and before we gathered at the table, we washed our hands. Covid brought those hygiene values to the fore again. My grandfather, father and uncles usually led the blessing of the food. The tuakana (older relatives) led the karakia and the etiquette was passed down through my paternal grandmother. She taught these values in her involvement with the church and assimilated us to the Pakeha ways of life. Heads were always bowed in prayer.

These days, children who have been through playcentres and Kohanga Reo will expect someone to whakapai kai because they have been taught the importance of blessing food and therefore wait before they eat. They understand that it is important to acknowledge God in this daily practice. Other children who aren’t taught these same behaviours ‘ko poaka haere,’ charge in to eat, not at all mindful of others.

I have been encouraged by what I see as a major change in our practice with the social conditioning of our teina (youngerones), our tamariki (children)to participate and lead prayers. In my youth, kaumātua (elders) or the minister present would take karakia. There has been an obvious shift in role responsibilities being more inclusive and that is a hopeful reflection of our changing communities. Our tikanga customs aren’t the same everywhere and they are open to change in positive ways. Through prayer our feet are placed on solid ground.