Matariki celebrations in Te Puke to be bigger and better

Betty-Anne Monga from Ardijah who will be the headline act at Te Puke's Matariki celebration next month. Photo / George Novak

Holding both handles of the basket, carrying knowledge, is the theme of next month's Matariki celebration in Te Puke.

This will be the first time Matariki has been marked by a public holiday - allowing local celebrations to be stepped up from the initial event last year.

The kaupapa of the festival is led by community leaders Kassie Ellis as community liaison, Tatai Takuira-Mita, Kāhui Ako across-school leader and deputy principal, and Māori policy and engagement adviser Sam Hema from Hemasphere Ltd together with the hapori whanaui me ngā tangata whenua.

Celebrations will be over June 23 and 24 the days being named Te Kīwai Mauī (Our Educational Day) and Te Kīwai Katau (Our Community Day) respectively.
The local celebration draws its name from the story of Whakaotirangi who had the role of securing kumara plants brought from Hawaiki to Aotearoa in a kete on the Te Arawa waka.

Her legacy is expressed in the whakatauaki (proverb) Te Kete- Rokiroki-a-Whakaotirangi - meaning the secure basket of Whakaotirangi.

She is a Te Arawa ancestress who links Tia and Hei, the tupuna of this area who were on the Te Arawa waka, the fathers of Tapuika and Waitaha.

Each day was given a name to describe its purpose and represent the left and the right handle of the basket, carried together and not alone, carrying the basket full of knowledge and by the people.

Tapuika education representative Jo'el Komene says: "This also refers to the whakataukī - Māu tēnā kīwai o te kete, māku tēnei, meaning each of us at a handle of the basket'. We all carry the basket, for it is the people who keep it alive, the kete in this case is the repository for that knowledge."

Sam says the purpose of the celebration is to align with iwi, hapū and whānau to represent Matariki and tangata whenua in a meaningful way to reach the wider community.

"We are inviting the whole community of Te Puke to come and celebrate with us. We get to share stories, wonderful activities and kaupapa and we get to do things together, engage and educate," he says.

On June 23, Te Kīwai Mauī will feature education workshops facilitated by Te Kāhui Ako o Te Puke and local environmental groups.

Workshops will be offered to students from across the Kāhui Ako.

The aim is to connect rangatahi and tamariki together through activity, learning and sharing kaupapa specific to Matariki.

On June 24 Te Kīwai Katau will be a Rā Whakangāhau celebrating the diversity of the community, led by tangata whenua.

It will be a day of fun, food, whānau, sports, entertainment and community activation, says Sam, bringing on board various supporters, sponsors and community groups that support Matariki.

The full-day event will include kapa haka, a three-on-three basketball tournament, entertainment, stalls and kai.

There will be a musical evening with performances by local musicians including the Matariki All Stars, talent quest winners and guests, with Ardijah topping the bill.

Kassie says she believes this year's event will be bigger and better than the inaugural event last year as organisers have had a longer time frame and have learned from last year.

"Making it a public holiday gives it an extra significance and it's given us that extra push to get it right, do it better and do it bigger," she says. "It also gives it more meaning. We deserve this for Te Puke - an authentic event that's ours."