Matariki moves throughout the night as well as throughout the year, so using other constellations as markers is a great way to figure out which way to look.
From lanterns on the water to blazing beach bonfires and light shows, a wide range of fire, light and water events are set to bring whānau together to reflect, connect, and look ahead to the future. Hawke’s Bay Today looks at some exciting things planned for this special holiday.
What is Matariki?
Matariki is the Pleiades star cluster and a celebration of its first rising in late June or early July. It signals the beginning of the new year in the Māori lunar calendar.
“Matariki Heri Kai is a proverb that speaks to the association between the appearance of Matariki and the bounty of the impending season,” he said.
“The different stars in the Matariki cluster have an association to the various domains from where we source our food, in particular: gardens (Tupuānuku), forests (Tupuārangi), fresh water (Waitī) and ocean (Waitā). This connection encourages us to consider our role in protecting and caring for these ecosystems.”
Ngāti Kahungunu chair Bayden Barber said the festive period was a great time to connect with friends and whānau.
“Kahungunu have a big Matariki agenda. We’ve got all our taiwhenua that have Matariki festivals.”
He said it was also a time of reflection and planning for the year ahead, which fits well into this year’s theme.
“I’m looking forward to catching up with our people, and it’s always a good opportunity to look ahead at the New Year and some of the things we need to achieve with aspirations and goals.
“Matariki is normally the time of the year when you get your kai ready and seeds in for the wintertime. It’s not just about the physical food; kai doesn’t come without mahi, and you have to put in the hard yards before you can harvest.”
Families celebrate the Hakari Matariki event at the Hawke's Bay Showgrounds in Hastings last year. Photo / Paul Taylor
Wet weather cancels two Hastings events
Two water events, one set to be held at the recently opened Hastings Waiaroha Water Centre, have been cancelled due to impending wet weather.
A special hīkoi of remembrance at the Waiaroha Water Centre on June 25 and 26 from 6pm to 9pm each evening will no longer be held.
Hastings District Council said there was still an opportunity to celebrate Matariki at the Kai Hau Kai Matariki on June 28 at Mitre10 Regional Sports Park, where people could feast on kai and be amazed by entertainment and fireworks.
A Matariki-inspired event planned for Wednesday evening (June 19) in Flaxmere was also cancelled.
The Pools of Matariki Tapuapua event was scheduled to be held at Flaxmere Park but has been cancelled due to forecasted poor weather.
Teacher and lecturer Hira Huata (left), Hastings Mayor Sandra Hazlehurst and director of major projects Graeme Hansen at the opening of the Waiaroha Heretaunga Discovery Centre in 2023. Photo / Paul Taylor
Bright lights and bonfires
Napier’s Ātea a Rangi Star Compass is a hub for celebrating traditional navigation and storytelling and is hosting a special light show and a mix of free and ticketed community events.
The ticketed Whānau Marama light show runs from June 24 to 28 from 6.30pm-9.30pm. It showcases Whānau Marama – Family of Light, Matariki, and the traditional star compass navigators use for voyaging across the Pacific Ocean.
The Ātea will also host free dawn workshops from June 25 to 27, starting at 6am with talks from local waka navigators and sighting Matariki stars and planets. A Hautapu ceremony and hangi will take place on Matariki morning from 5am-7am, with kai on offer for a gold coin donation.
The Atea a Rangi Celestial Compass will be a hive of activity this Matariki. Photo / Warren Buckland
The Saturday night of the 29th will see the Hawke’s Bay coast light up for a second year, with the well-publicised Matariki Mahuika event returning. The DIY event that sees hundreds of driftwood fires lit up is focused on whānau connection, community collaboration and storytelling.
Over in Hastings that same night, ‘Kai Hau Kai Matariki: Celebrate Matariki Hastings’ will see fireworks, art and dancing light up the Hawke’s Bay Regional Sports.
“The Kotahitanga theme, which is prevalent throughout Kahungunu and evident last month at the Hui Taumata, will continue throughout Matariki,” Barber said.
Matariki Mahuika on Marine Parade, Napier in 2023. Photo / Warren Buckland
Stars, songs and art
Matariki Wairoa-style began last Monday with a different star from the constellation featuring each day of the week.
Most activities are at Wairoa Community Centre’s function room but will spill outside on Friday evening, with food stalls and glowing lanterns with messages to be followed by fireworks.
On Thursday, the environment was in the spotlight with a taio technician from an awa restoration project.
Friday was devoted to the star Ururangi, and ta moko returned for the third year.
Back in Napier, art enthusiasts and the local community eagerly anticipate the opening of Kare, an exhibition celebrating Matariki at Creative Arts Napier this Friday.
Kare, meaning dear friend, has evolved into an inclusive creative community.
Running throughout the month of Matariki, the exhibition features more than 60 creatives from every corner of Aotearoa, showcasing works that embody the wairua of this significant time of year.
Takapau will be treating the public to stalls, an auction and a fashion show which starts at 1pm.
On Monday, July 1, there will be a dawn ceremony at Pukekaihau Pā in Waipukurau at 6.45am to welcome Matariki rising and in the evening, there will be a lantern ceremony at A’Deane Park, Waipukurau from 6pm, to remember loved ones who have passed on.
Separate councils, the Ātea a Rangi Trust, and the Hawke’s Bay Tourism websites have a full list of Matariki events and times.
Mitchell Hageman joined Hawke’s Bay Today in January 2023. From his Napier base, he writes regularly on social issues, arts and culture, and the community.
