Street banners to mark Matariki
A time to remember, to give thanks and plan for year ahead
Matariki signals the start of the Māori new year. The first public holiday to celebrate Matariki will be on Friday, June 24 this year. The Government has committed to ensuring mātauranga Māori is at the heart of celebrations of the Matariki public holiday.
“I’m so excited about the recognition of this occasion with a dedicated public holiday,” said Rangi Huata, events and promotions manager for Ngati Kahungunu Iwi Inc.
“We started our first Matariki event on a cold, dismal night in Hastings
What makes the Matariki public holiday so significant is that, for the first time in the history of New Zealand, a seasonal indigenous Māori celebration has been recognised in this way.
back in 2000 and surprisingly hundreds of people turned up. Since then thousands have attended Matariki events all over Hawke’s Bay and that’s without the public holiday.
“I see many positive residuals from this decision. What makes the Matariki public holiday so significant is that, for the first time in the history of New Zealand, a seasonal indigenous Māori celebration has been recognised in this way.
“It’s an amazing decision for our nation’s politicians to approve this public holiday. Mind you, several attempts have been made in the past by the Māori Party and they have all fizzled due to lack of support. But as the cheesemaker says in those television ads, ‘Good things take time’.
“I’m no fortune teller or biblical soothsayer that reads the future but I predict within a generation that Matariki will become New Zealand’s third-biggest celebration after Easter and Christmas.
in our skies. I believe it will become bigger than New Year’s Eve celebrations on December 31.
Huata said the Māori calendar is lunar-based and starts from the predawn reappearance of the Matariki stars after they disappeared from the night sky a few weeks earlier.
“Wherever we live in New Zealand from the Cape to the Bluff we see these Matariki stars from different viewing points and at different times so the celebrations occur a bit like the Mexican wave rippling across New Zealand for three weeks.
“It’s a great wintertime celebration. Happy Matariki. ”
Iwi celebrate at different times and in different ways, however, the three main principles of Matariki remain the same ie remembrance, giving thanks and planning for the future.
Planning is currently under way across Hawke’s Bay. All events are free, most will take place in public parks and CBDs and are expected to attract thousands of visitors from June 10 to 25, 2022.
The big reveal will be at the end of May.