Puanga Matariki - a celebration for all: Mayor Vince Cocurullo

With more than 40 events as part of the Puanga Matariki Festival, there will be something for everyone to enjoy this coming weekend. Photo / Peter de Graaf

OPINION

There are many reasons I’m proud to call Whangārei home.

The naturally beautiful spots, the easy access to beaches and mountains, the better than average commute times (compared with our largest neighbour) and our world-class, award winning cafes and restaurants – there’s just so much to love about living here.

My biggest reason for living in Whangārei is the wonderful, diverse, caring and welcoming people that we have here.

On Friday 17 May, I was honoured to co-sign our council’s ‘Welcoming Communities’ Statement of Commitment, alongside Sergeant Stainton from NZ Police, Sandra Hawken (chair of Te Huinga), Sandeep Diwan (vice chairperson Multicultural Whangārei), Simon Weston (Whangarei District Council CEO) and Ralph Correa - president of the Multi Ethnic Collective.

Welcoming Communities is a programme led by Immigration New Zealand (INZ) in partnership with the Ministry of Ethnic Communities and the Human Rights Commission and brings together local governments and communities to make the places we love more welcoming for everyone.

I’m proud to say that Whangārei District has now achieved our first stage in this programme, which has the intention of helping people of all cultures and backgrounds feel included, listened to, well-informed and above all else, welcomed.

This inclusive, welcoming spirit will be present in the celebration of Puanga Matariki, which runs through the month of June, beginning on May 31 with the Matariki/Puanga Exhibition at the Quarry Arts Centre.

Puanga Matariki gives us all the opportunity to come together as a community, reflecting on past events, celebrating the highs and looking ahead to our shared future.

It’s a time for reflection, remembrance, and celebration, and it’s also a time for strengthening the connections we have within our diverse communities.

This year, our district is hosting more than 40 events as part of the Puanga Matariki Festival.

The mix of events are a true reflection of our many cultures, interests and passions, including a curated collection of local and Māori artworks at Hihiaua with open days showcasing local artists at work on their pieces, guided tours of the night sky at Planetarium North, waka ama regattas at the Parihaka Waka Ama club, traditional print technique workshops, lantern making workshops (followed by a lantern community parade) and a Puanga Matariki Celebration at the Waipū Celtic Barn.

This year we’re also embracing our Latin American community as they celebrate the June solstice, which honours the traditional beginning of their New Year.

The Whangārei Latin American Festival will bring the sights, sounds and flavours of Latin America right here to our doorstep, and is a perfect inclusion in our Puanga Matariki line-up of events.

This year’s festival features two unique performance pieces - ‘Ūkaipō’, a contemporary dance at ONEONESIX, and ‘Kōpū’, a touring show at Forum North.

Many of the events this year are family friendly, free and accessible, so pick up a booklet from our council customer service centres, libraries, or go to our Whangarei District Council website https://www.wdc.govt.nz/Matariki or social channels and get ready to have a culturally exciting month. I’ll see you there.