Kiwi North teams up with Te Wānanga o Aotearoa for Matariki exhibition

Poi, like these donated by D. Whyte, were used in Puanga celebrations. Photo / Supplied

A new exhibition at Kiwi North will open soon to celebrate the Māori new year, with help from Te Wānanga o Aotearoa.

A number of taonga would be on display for the exhibition, named Puanga for a star that that is traditionally believed to be the elder brother of Matariki.

Exhibition curator Georgia Kerby said Puanga was historically the focus of the Māori new year celebrations in Northland, rather than Matariki.

"It's just a different part of the Orion constellation," she said.

The rising of the star Puanga heralded the coming of the new moon which marked the Ngā Puhi new year.

Puanga was also traditionally the focus of Māori new year celebrations in some other parts of the country, such as Taranaki and the Chatham Islands.

The exhibition would focus on what's traditionally important at Māori new year, such as family and storytelling.

"It's a time for families to come together and tell stories around the fire."

Fire was also an important element of the winter festival. Fire sticks would feature in the exhibition, as well as pounamu, fishing nets, weaving, a waka huia and numerous other taonga.

A gourd crafted by Theo Schoon, part of the Whangarei Museum's Devonshire Collection. Photo / Supplied

Te Wānanga O Aotearoa would provide some items for the exhibition.

"There will be a showcase of their work, like carving and weaving," Kerby said.

One particularly special item to be displayed was a waka huia, or treasure casket, that was donated to Whangārei Museum by the Maddren family.

Another was a sample of a flax fishing net discovered in a cave on the Poor Knights Islands in the 1970s.

All taonga would represent aspects of Matariki (or Puanga) celebrations, including hospitality, learning and filling the pātaka (store) for winter.

"It's about commemorating good things, bad things and the people that surround them."

The new year was celebrated on the rising of the new moon in June, which would be June 14 this year.

The exhibition would open on June 9, and was expected to run until October 14.