Matariki celebrations began atop Te Mata Peak

Ngāti Kahungunu held a ceremony on Te Mata o Rongokako for the first time in the 20 years they have been marking the rising of the star cluster. Photo / Duncan Brown

Ngāti Kahungunu's Matariki celebrations began atop Te Mata Peak on Tuesday morning as the iwi launched their marking of the holiday with a ceremony and waiata.

Event organiser Te Rangi Huata said it was a great occasion, the first time Ngāti Kahungunu have held a ceremony on Te Mata o Rongokako in the 20 years they have been marking the rising of the star cluster.

About 20 people were present for the invitation-only event, which began at 5am.

On Thursday the public will have a chance to join in the same whangai i te hautapu ceremony, which will start at 5:30am at Civic Square, Hastings.

Huata said it has three main parts; a reading of the stars for how prosperous the coming season will be, remembrance of those who have passed away by calling out their names, and a food offering.

For the stars Waitī (freshwater) and Waitā (the sea), watercress and fish were offered on Tuesday morning.

For Tupu-ā-nuku (the ground), Tupu-ā-rangi: (things overhead such as fruit on trees), kumara and chicken, replacing the historically used kereru, were offered.

A new waiata was then performed by Kahurangi Maori Dance Theatre.

"We hope that, in time, that song will become our iwi's anthem for Matariki," Huata said.

He added that he hopes people who attend the public ceremony on Thursday will take inspiration from the event to host their own ceremonies at home in the future, the same way families have their own personal traditions for holidays like Christmas.

Huata and Ngāti Kahungunu have also worked with the Hastings District Council to put together the Hākari Matariki feast on Friday night.

There will be food trucks and musical performances before a fireworks finale at the free Tomoana Showgrounds event, which runs from 5pm to 10pm.

A Matariki stars digital light display on the Hastings District War Memorial Library will run every evening from Wednesday to Sunday, and the public can also float waka lanterns on the Flaxmere Pond.