Takanga o te Ra Winter Solstice, a celebration at Waitangi Regional Park, Awatoto, Napier, part of Hawke's Bay's Matariki activities in 2018, organised by Atea a Rangi and the Hawke's Bay Regional Council. Video by Duncan Brown
Rain and fog weren’t enough to dampen high spirits at the Ātea a Rangi Star Compass this week, which was a hive of activity as Hawke’s Bay launched into a series of special Matariki celebrations.
Tamariki across the region started learning about the importance of the Māori New Year earlierin the term, and this week they put their learning into practice through a series of workshops at the site at Waitangi Regional Park.
The emergence of the Matariki star cluster marks Māori New Year and serves as a time to remember lost loved ones and celebrate new beginnings, as well as acts as a period of reflection and regeneration.
Wild weather and cloud meant the star cluster itself is yet to be seen, but Michelle and Piripi Smith from the Ātea a Rangi Educational Trust said it was great to see so many kura come together to experience Matariki.
“They had five workshops. The five workshops were connected to the Matariki stars which are connected to people and environment,” Michelle said.
Hawke’s Bay Regional Council, the National Aquarium and Youth Ignite helped facilitate the programmes. They included native planting, Māori traditional games and environmental awareness workshops.
Whare Whetū, a portable star dome, saw the Ātea a Rangi Educational Trust deliver an immersive indoor experience exploring Matariki and the concept behind it.
“It’s part of Aotearoa and part of their heritage,” Michelle said when discussing the importance of teaching the younger generations about Matariki.
She said it also connects closely to the environment, with the stars themselves carrying traditional Māori meanings linking to water, food and weather.
“We’ve been having full sessions with all the schools that have been coming along,” Piripi Smith said.
“We’re trying to link it to the environment and how our tipuna traditionally celebrated the New Year. For us down in the southern hemisphere this really is when the New Year starts, it’s not on the 1st of January.”
He said feedback from schools and whānau had been very positive.
“The kids have been loving it and we’ve had tons of positive comments from teachers and parents.”
Cindy Logan, deputy principal at Bledisloe School, said the experience was “amazing” for her kura.
“We were super impressed by the use of te reo Māori by the facilitators down there. It was cool to see the kids be able to participate in that.”
There will also be opportunities next month for schools in Central Hawke’s Bay and Wairoa to have access to Ātea a Rangi programmes.
Kids from Havelock North Primary learn about Matariki at Atea a Rangi. Photo / Warren Buckland
School groups aren’t the only ones who could get involved in Matariki. Plenty of other events open to the public are set to occur this week at the atea and across Te Matau-a-Māui (Hawke’s Bay).
A Matariki event on Friday and Saturday, July 7 and 8 on Herschell St in Napier will light up the CBD from 5.30pm to 8.30pm.
Waitangi Park in Awatoto is hosting events on dates throughout June and July, and Matariki Whangai i te Hautapu – Hau Ahi, a dawn ceremony to remember loved ones, give thanks for the harvest and blessings for the future, will be held on July 13.
Tōmoana Showgrounds in Hastings will see people able to experience a mix of kai, entertainment, remembrance and fireworks on July 14. Wairoa will hold a similar event at the Wairoa Community Centre on June 30.
“Matariki is for everybody,” said Napier City Council’s Pou Whakarae – director Māori partnership Morehu Te Tomo.
“It’s a time to remember our loved ones who have passed and think about what the next year will bring. It’s New Year’s in the Māori calendar, te maramataka, so it has a feeling of celebration, reverence and spending time as a whānau and as a community.”
Mitchell Hageman joined Hawke’s Bay Today in late January. From his Napier base, he writes regularly on social issues, arts and culture, and the community. He has a particular love for stories about ordinary people doing extraordinary things.
