St Anthony's celebrates Matariki

Year 8 guitarist George Anderson at the lantern parade under the stars.

St Anthony's School in Pahiatua celebrated Matariki for the first time on Thursday, July 23, together with local Te Kohanga Whakawhaiti Marae and St Brigid's Parish whānau.

Included were a soup and bread supper, prayers, waiata and a lantern display.

Students busy preparing vegetables for the soup.

"We wanted to celebrate Matariki - the staff and I - with the students and whānau," said principal Marg Hyslop.

"We just developed it from there, it brought together all the learning we've been doing around Matariki and the celebration of starting a new year and new term.

"It's being grateful for everything we have had so far, especially in the year that's been.

"There has been local input from whānau who helped prepare the soup. It was a great learning time for the children with the ladies working with them. The whole school divided into groups and peeled the vegetables along with mothers and grandparents, board members and board proprietors who turned up, which was amazing.

"We invited the local Te Kohanga Whakawhaiti Marae to come and take part together with our parish community. We have a lot of resource people in the community that support the teachers in their learning of Te ao Māori.

"We were really delighted with the night. It was a great chance to bring our community together to celebrate, with everyone taking part, it was amazing.

"Children went outside with the stars clearly visible and did a circuit of the walking track for a lantern parade, holding lanterns they had made themselves and got to keep. It engaged them, they were buzzing the next day at assembly, it is something they will remember.

"You're remembering the past, bringing in the new. We consulted with the community, they gave us ideas - things from the past that they want us to hold onto they love as part of St Anthony's. And the new ideas they had for bringing in. Lots of voice about what they'd like to see.

"Matariki was a beautiful celebration of everything we've been doing and setting the scene for things going forward," she said.

■ Matariki is the Māori name for the cluster of stars also known as Pleiades. It rises in mid-winter and heralds the start of a new year.

Matariki literally means the 'eyes of god' (matariki) or 'little eyes (mata riki). It can be a time to remember those who have passed away and a time to celebrate the new beginnings and things we are grateful for.