Kara Karahana

Ngā Puhi, Ngāti Porou



Kara attended university in the 1970s and has been a member of Nga Tamatoa and other Māori women’s groups. She states "I write revolutionary music not because it’s one form of music but because it’s the only form of music I write. I don’t think about writing songs as such: I only write if there’s something I feel strongly about." She has written under the names Caroline O’Callaghan and Kara Karahana.

Biographical sources

  • "Woman of the Revolution" Broadsheet 74 (1979): 22-23.

    Music

  • "Woman of the Revolution." Broadsheet 44 (1976): 9. Rpt. as "Women of the Revolution." Broadsheet 74 (1979): 22-23.
  • This song focuses on the oppression facing women; the speaker urges Māori women to unite ‘and make a stand’.
  • "Look at the Children." Broadsheet 74 (1979): 23.
  • In this song Karahana makes a strong plea for responsible parenting. Karahana states that she wrote this song for the International Year of the Child because she ‘wanted to ask black parents whether they really give their children the sort of respect and treatment they should have.’ And she adds: ‘I wanted to make the point that even though we adults have it hard because of white people’s society, we have to treat our children right because they’re the ones we’re really fighting for. Their right to be treated as human beings.’