| Explanation of the Karamu tree Karamu Botanical name: | Coprosma robusta |
| Maori name: | Karamu |
| Height: | 5-10 metres |
Karamu occurs as a shrub to small tree throughout N.Z. Flowers from September to November followed by dense clusters of red to orange berries in March. These are eagerly harvested by birds.
Maori children ate ripe coprosma berries, described as sweet and juicy with a bitter after taste.
Settlers in the late 19th century, sensing the relationship of coprosma to the coffee plant, did try roasting and grinding the seed of karamu and taupata. Notes from a meeting of the Wellington Philosophical Society describe that “the beans …… when roasted and ground have a splendid coffee aroma and when made into coffee the result seems to be thoroughly satisfactory.”
Karamu is a shrub that grows to around 5m in height and has sharp-pointed leathery leaves and pale brown bark. The green flowers grow in dense heads and turn into small orange, bitter fruit that birds love. It is found all over New Zealand and is a tough plant that often grows in windy or cold conditions and in poor soil.
Karamu have both male and female plants, which must grow near each other in order to produce berries and seeds.
Highly revered by Maori, the karamu was widely used as a magical plant by the Tohunga who oversaw the many rites of day to day life in pre-European Maori society. Among other ritual and spiritual uses, the Tohunga used the Karamu for the following purposes:
- Healing from physical illness – a twig of karamu was placed in front of the person suffering from the illness while incantations were performed to cure the disease
- An apron of karamu and kawakawa twigs was worn by the Tohunga as they performed incantations to bring sight to the blind
- The Tohi rite was performed to bless a newborn child. During this rite, the Atua to whom the child was dedicated was chosen and the Tohunga used their magical karamu branch to sprinkle the baby with water while invoking the qualities of the chosen Atua.
- The Tohi-taua (baptism of war) rite was performed by the Tohunga on warriors about to enter into battle. The sacred karamu branch was dipped into the stream and used to tap each kneeling warrior on the shoulder while reciting a Karakia. If the branch broke, that warrior would not survive the battle and was kept behind to protect the rest of the group and to preserve his life.
