A karakia of our own

Last year, Citycare Property established a Cultural Advisory Rūnanga. Our strategy defines us as a ’Good Kiwi Company’ and a core aspect of this is our commitment to honouring the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi / The Treaty of Waitangi. We also have a strong desire to be inclusive and culturally diverse so that we reflect the communities we live and work in.

To establish the rūnanga, we put out calls for nationwide volunteers interested in leading this mahi. To date, the rūnanga has met a number of times to discuss initiatives and activities that will help us to realise our goals. Initially we have had a strong focus on mātauranga Māori (Māori knowledge), and we have developed a strategy that includes a number of initiatives and activities to increase our confidence with te ao Māori, tikanga Māori and te reo Māori. 

Made up of staff from across the country, the Cultural Advisory Rūnanga meets monthly to discuss initiatives and activities aligned with Citycare Property’s corporate strategy.

As an outcome of this strategy, we have introduced a mihi whakatau / formal words of greeting, for new employees, our very own Citycare Property karakia, and a fantastic resource for employees called Te Kete Mātauranga. 

“Many people across the organisation were already using a standard karakia but we felt it was important to our sense of kinship that we have a karakia specific to Citycare Property and the mahi we do,” says rūnanga team member, Rachel Allen. “Primary discussions around the karakia centred on what that would look like and what it should include. For me, personally, I felt it was necessary to include Citycare Property’s values — in a way that was broad enough to include everything yet succinct enough to be accessible to everyone — and to express how we live these every day within the workplace.

“The next time we met as a group, I presented the karakia I had written and received a really positive response to my efforts. We then had it translated and I am really thrilled with the outcome.”

The Cultural Advisory Rūnanga presented the karakia to the Executive Leadership Team and it has now been adopted throughout the business. All staff are encouraged to recite the karakia at the start and close of their meetings or other important events.

Citycare Property Chief Executive, Peter Lord says: “To have this important first step come to fruition is such a great testament to the mahi already forged by the rūnanga, and while there has been an initial focus on biculturalism, I know plans are in place to look at other aspects of inclusion and diversity in the coming year.”

Citycare Property Opening Karakia

Mā te huritao ka tūhura
(May we discover through reflection)
Mā te manawanui ka tutuki
(May we deliver through our dedication) 
Mā te mahi ia rā ka ora te taiao me ngā hapori
(May we care for our environment and communities through our work every day)
Hui e! Tāiki e! 
(United, forward together!)

Citycare Property Closing Karakia

Unuhia te wānanga, te hui
(Our gathering has finished for the time being)
Paiheretia ki te tāhuhu o tō tātou whare korero
(Bonded by our common goals we have shared knowledge and listened to one another)
Ūhia mai ko te rongomau
(Let’s support and take care of each other)
Hui e! Tāiki e!
(United, as one!)