Enjoying yourself, learning lots, sharing delicious kai, competing for prizes, and laughing lots – the ingredients of a great social occasion – all came together when eight teams participated in Rangitāne's Matariki Quiz at the Mangatera Hotel.
A set of 59 questions, all pertaining to Matariki and prepared by the iwi, had the 60-strong crowd on July 20 racking their brains and raising the team's true/false or multi-choice answer by card after a minute's consultation.
![The Matariki Stars winners - Nga Uri o Tapo (The Pirates of Tamaki Nui A Rua).](https://www.nzherald.co.nz/resizer/v2/FH5NL4JSN7VPVTFXJRBMPPVFWU.jpg?auth=9b78008e7d6fe9a4cd8eb6e2ab0d61785c9116ab03be9287ef8c1989c9e1a8ad&width=16&height=11&quality=70&smart=true)
MC Wharemako Paewai kept the flow of questions steady with a break for kai at half-time, providing the answer and supporting information after each question was tackled. That way a full conversation enlightened those who had the answer wrong.
It was most enlightening – did you know some west coast iwi do not accept Matariki because ranges block their rise in the east from being seen and Rangitāne only recognises seven of the nine stars?
The evening was partly sponsored by Tararua REAP which entered a team called The Grim Reapers and they did well. Some members had even done some research.