The magic of Matariki on Mauao
One family travelled from Auckland to be at the unveiling of a new star compass on top of Mauao before dawn broke yesterday.
The family was among between 200 and 300 people, including children, who trekked to the summit, with a trail of lights zig-zagging up the path that could be seen from the base.
Despite the weather forecast, there was not a cloud in the sky; the sliver of the moon was visible surrounded by the stars for the country’s first Matariki public holiday.
Nga¯ Poutiriao o Mauao Trust, in collaboration with Te Puna I Rangiriri Trust, launched a new Ateaa¯ -Rangi (star compass) to mark the Ma¯ori New Year. The summit trig was removed to make way for the navigation tool.
Addressing the crowd, celestial navigator Jack Thatcher said the ko¯hatu (stones) below the taonga (treasure) had come from Hawaiki and the Pacific, which was symbolic of the connection back there.
After the karakia (prayer), the Atea-a¯-rangi was unveiled. Everyone was invited to come up to the ko¯hatu and say the name of loved ones who had died in the past year.
Speaking to the Bay of Plenty Times, Thatcher said the event was “huge” for the Mauao Trust, which recieved the maunga (mountain) after a Treaty of Waitangi settlement in the late 2000s.
“We are being able to recognise our special places with taonga like these.”
He said it had been hard work for the representatives who had been trying to “create beauty” on the mountain, which had been difficult with limited resources.
Thatcher said it was still not finished and they wanted to build it up so that children could touch the stone. They wanted to connect the stone to other special places around the maunga.
“Everyone enters this place and soaks up the energy of our mountain — it is lucky that the mountain has a lot of energy to give. All we are doing is allowing to give it some energy back.”
In his view, one of the purposes of the stone was to help people reconnect with loved ones who had died, and help reflect on “who we are and where we are going”.
He said others might see the Atea-a¯-rangi in a different way, which was great.
The whole idea was to bring everyone in our community closer, he said, and Matariki helped everyone realise the diversity.
“I felt that this morning.” He said the symbol of the connection of the stones back to where their ancestors were from was for everyone, from wherever they come from.
Isaac Sciascia and his partner Amy Jesensek travelled from West Auckland to be at the Matariki unveiling.
For Sciascia, there were many reasons he needed to be there, the most important of which was that it was his son’s 17th birthday. He lives in Pa¯pa¯moa.
“Seventeen years ago when he was born in Auckland Hospital, I remember holding him in my arms and telling everyone in the room ‘happy Matariki.”’
At that time, not many people knew about Matariki, he said.
“It is really good to be up on the mountain and look around and everyone is aware of what
Matariki is.”
He said his wha¯nau had strong ties to the whenua (land), especially Mauao.
His tu¯puna came here from the Pacific and Mauao was one of the places his ancestor stopped when he first journeyed to New Zealand. Sciacia descended from the Kurahaupo¯ waka.
From Mount Maunganui, they travelled to and set up in Whakata¯ne.
“As a Ma¯ori, what we are doing is reconnecting back to our DNA. Reconnecting with the past so that we can carry on into the future.”
He said it was cool to come together as New Zealanders and start “growing and developing a personal heritage, a special thing that is unique to us”.
Being at the top of Mauao “felt special”.
“Back in the day, I use to come to Mount Maunganui to party ... now we come to Mount Maunganui to come up the Mount and do karakia with the locals and have a great time.”
Local canoe captain Frank Kawe said an important part of today was to incorporate recognition of the deceased, which was seen in the open invitation for everyone to touch the stone and say the name of loved ones who had died.
Kawe said the journey of the dead meant they became stars for a while.
“This is an appropriate time to offer up our deceased on their journey to be recognised as becoming stars for a portion of their journey of the afterlife.”
Misty Matenga said the morning was “absolutely beautiful, spiritual and healing”.
She said she felt a connection to everyone there.
She came with her two mokos (grandchildren) for the unveiling so they could experience it, touch the ko¯hatu, be part of the historic occasion, and see the stars. They went up on Monday saw more stars yesterday.