Hawke’s Bay: Matariki events and fires attract thousands

Fires along the Marine Parade beach in Napier on Saturday night. Photo / Zach Stanton

Matariki events across Hawke’s Bay over the long weekend attracted thousands of people who “shared the warmth” following a week of rain and flooding.

Matariki marks the beginning of the new year according to the Māori lunar calendar.

Feature events to celebrate the occasion included Kai Hau Kai Matariki at Hastings’ Mitre 10 Sports Park on Friday night, a family event organised by iwi Ngāti Kahungunu at which thousands of people enjoyed a fireworks display, food trucks and plenty of entertainment.

The Matariki Mahuika beach fires were also hugely popular on Saturday night, as those who gathered lit driftwood fires across the breadth of the beach at Marine Parade in Napier, as well as other beaches along the Hawke’s Bay coastline.

While the weather was chilly, the rain held off for those feature events, which was pleasing for organisers following a week of wet weather and flooding in parts of Hawke’s Bay.

Matariki Mahuika co-organiser Neill Gordon said it was fabulous seeing all the fires along the coast.

A fire on the beach in Napier as part of Matariki festivities. Photo / Derek Rossiter

“Fire has a fundamental appeal and meaning to people, and the heart of our event was about sharing the warmth, about lighting your fire and welcoming people in and talking to strangers, and that was happening all around on the beaches.

“The storm had delivered good quantities of wood along the beach, but it was damp, of course.

“A lot of people needed help from their neighbours to get their fires cranking - that was all part of the palpable whānau-friendly vibe.”

He said emergency services were not called out to a single incident related to the event, and the rain held off until shortly before 9pm in Napier.

A family enjoying the warmth of a fire on the beach as part of a Matariki event in Napier. Photo / Stephen Robinson

“There were thousands of people on the beaches,” he said.

“Not just locals. We had multiple groups tell us they had travelled from out of town specifically to attend Matariki Mahuika.”

He said some people brought kindling and paper to get the fires going, but people were discouraged from bringing other forms of wood such as pallets, which can leave a mess.

Ngāti Kahungunu chairman Bayden Barber spoke at the Kai Hau Kai Matariki event on Friday in Hastings, and said he was impressed by the turnout.

There was a big turnout for the Matariki event at Hastings' Sports Park on Friday. Photo / Chris Hyde

“People are getting more educated around Matariki - the kids are learning more at school and the parents are engaging with the spirit of Matariki, and it’s good to see people turning out for these activities because they are for the whole community.”

Other Matariki events held over the long weekend included a special dawn ceremony near the National Aquarium and a light show at Ātea a Rangi Star Compass at Awatoto.