Maketū's Matariki Ball a popular black tie event

The team behind Maketū's Matariki Ball: (rear, from left) Corrine Paul, Jess Goldsbury, Ronnie Tapsell-Walters and Moki Thomas; front: Patuara Biel, Toni Paul, Shontell Peawini and Delwyn Koce.

Maketū's Matariki Ball is one of the social highlights of the township.

The ball is being held this Saturday night at the newly renovated Whakaue Marae, and tickets are now virtually impossible to come by.

''It sold out in, like, a week,'' says Shontell Peawini, tumuaki (chief executive) at Maketū Hauora that organises the ball.

This is the third year the hauora has put the ball together after it was revived in 2019.

''We've got a kaumātua programme and one day they were sitting around talking about how they used to have a ball and how they'd love something like that to come back,'' says Shontell, ''so we tied it in with Matariki.

''I don't think they had had one for over 10 years so we ran with the idea and it has just become bigger and bigger each year.'

''It's pretty cool that it's so popular. It's an R18 event and we promote it as black tie. It's an awesome night and everyone gets dressed to the nines.

''We have a small team and we take all week to set it up.''

The ball is a fundraiser for the hauora.

''For the past two years we have had these projects that we've wanted to fund.''

Money from the first ball went towards setting up a youth hub in Maketū and helping rangatahi in the community who needed support for sport and extra-curricular activities.

''From that one we raised about $11,000,'' says Shontell.

Last year the money went towards a passenger van and this year the money will be used to replace the chairs in the hauora's programme room, with any extra going towards buying a van that will be used to pick up and distribute food in the community.

Each year one of the Matariki stars is celebrated. In 2019 it was Matariki herself, the mother of the other six stars, and last year it was Tupu-ā-nuku.

''This year we are celebrating Waitī and Waitā, the twin daughters, so we are having an underwater theme.''

Karena, left, and Kasey Te Awa Bird in the kitchen with, Ronnie Tapsell-Walters, Tapita Puna-Winiata, Patuara Biel, Shelley Donaldson, Corrine Paul, Moki Thomas and Leanne Phillips.

Celebrity chefs Karena and Kasey Te Awa Bird helped put together the menu and helped prepare the food last year and Karena is helping again this year.

''We are pretty spoilt to be served food from them,'' says Shontell.

Last year's event ran slightly later in the year due to the uncertainty around Covid-19 restrictions.

''It was touch-and-go last year. We were planning to have it in June but because of Covid and the restriction we held off until July which was really timely as that was when Matariki appeared.''

The event is made possible thanks to the support of Te Puni Kōkiri, One Foundation, Paengaroa Horticulture, Maketū Gentleman's Club, New World Te Puke, Maketū Community Board and Trevelyan's Pack & Cool.

■ Waitī and Waitā are Matariki's twins. Papatūānuku knew that they would be able to care for the smallest and fastest of creatures – because they, too, know about being a team.
The seven Matariki stars are a mother (Matariki) and her six daughters – Tupu-ā-nuku, Tupu-ā-rangi, Waipunarangi, Waitī, Waitā, and Ururangi. Two other stars have also been identified - Pōhutukawa and Hiwa.