karaka
1. (adjective) be orange.
He harakeke iraira, he mumura te kākāriki o ngā whā, he kōwhai ngā tāekaeka, he karaka ngā tapa me te tuaka, he mā, he mōhinuhinu te muka o tēnei harakeke (PK 2008:603). / A variegated flax, with bright green leaves, yellow stripes, orange edges and midrib, while the fiber of this flax is white and shiny.
2. (noun) fruit of the karaka, karaka, Corynocarpus laevigatus - tree with dark green, very glossy, large leaves and orange berries containing seeds which are poisonous unless roasted. Cultivated by Māori. Found on coastal regions.
E tupuria ana taua rākau e te pūkohukohu, ā e kore e hua i taua pūkohukohu, he mea mahi tērā e te tangata kia hua ai te karaka (TW 2/10/1875:258). / A moss grows on that tree which prevents it bearing fruit. People cleaned them so that the karaka tree fruited.
Synonyms: kōpī
2. (loan) (noun) clock.
(Te Kākano Textbook (Ed. 2): 28-29;)
Ka nui ngā karaka, tīni wati, pine, rīngi me ērā atu taonga koura, hiriwa (TW 31/3/1877:128). / There are a great number of clocks, watch chains, broaches, rings and other gold and silver jewellery.
2. (noun) male variety of totara tree.
3. (noun) Cookia sulcata, a univalve mollusc.
karaka maoa
1. (noun) person who can't swim - figurative term likening a non-swimmer to a mature karaka berry that sinks in water.
He karanga mate te hari i te karaka maoa ki te hī i runga waka, kāore nei ōna hākete whakaora (HJ 2012:20). / Taking a non-swimmer fishing on a vessel without her life-jacket is asking for trouble.
karaka whati
1. (noun) ritual before war - an ancient ritual performed over warriors before they went off to war. The warriors were sprinkled with water, and touched with a karaka leaf.
Tohua ana a Hēnare ki te tikanga pure o te karaka whati, he tikanga whakatakataka i te toa mō te pakanga (TTR 2000:70). / Hēnare underwent the ritual of karaka whati, a practice preparing a warrior for battle.
kōpī
1. (noun) karaka, Corynocarpus laevigatus - tree with dark green, very glossy, large leaves and orange berries containing seeds which are poisonous unless roasted. Cultivated by Māori. Found on coastal regions.
hākekakeka
1. (noun) ear fungus, Auricularia polytricha - a thin, fleshy, ear-like growth, shiny dark brown on one side and dull whitish grey on the other. Common on both live and dead trunks of broad-leaved forest trees, particularly on māhoe, karaka and houhere.
See also hakeke
2. (noun) mountain holly, Māori holly, Olearia ilicifolia - a shrub with long, pointed, stiff, leathery leaves and wavy, sharply toothed edges, hence the English names. During spring the bush is covered in clusters of white daisies. Found from East Cape to Stewart Island.
Synonyms: kōtaratara, wharangi kura, hakeka, arorangi, haki
