With eyes closed and minds open, rangatahi relaxed into the cleansing vibrations of ancient flute sounds and karakia. Some were even given a turn to try their hand at playing these taonga puoro.
Rangatahi were then led to the marae atea where the clouds had dispersed to present a picturesque clear sky, perfect for star gazing. Using a “super laser”, Rikki was able to map out clusters and constellations, identifying each star’s name and whakapapa.
“I’ve learned so much about the Maramataka since doing these wānanga! I loved learning about Matariki, there is so much more to the story than what we are taught at school,” Amaiah, Rangatahi Leader, said
In the hopes of getting more rangatahi of Kahungunu interested in the Maramataka, the rangatahi leaders of Toi Matarua launched “Kia Au, Ko Au”, an annual Matariki sunrise rave. The goal of the rave was to put a fun and contemporary rangatahi-spin on the traditional celebration of Matariki.
On Sunday, July 2, as early as 5am, more than 80 rangatahi gathered at the Napier Sound Shell where they were greeted with hot Tupuānuku kumara pancakes, Tupuārangi berry smoothies, glow-in-the-dark face painting and a live DJ.
The event started with a tour of the stars on the beach by Solomon and then each star of the Matariki cluster was celebrated with workshops and activities facilitated by the young Toi Matarua leaders. Finally, the event was concluded with a dance party.
“I liked how all the different workshops taught you something new about the individual Matariki stars. Each star has a unique identity and abilities, I didn’t know that before this event,” rangatahi leader Joseph said.
“Following the devastation of Cyclone Gabrielle, ‘Kia Au, Ko Au’ has given our rangatahi and their whānau the opportunity to come together and celebrate the beauty and power of Te Taiaio (the environment) in a way that is not only educational but really fun,” said Charlizza Matehe, founder and director of Toi Matarua.
The event’s attempt at the viral Matariki Tiktok dance has reached over 35,000 views on Little Miss Ringawera’s Tik Tok account.
“The skills, knowledge and experience gained from Toi Matarua’s rangatahi leadership development wānanga and events enable rangatahi to explore the ancient tools of our tipuna such as the Maramataka and the potential of planning our hauora according to the lunar calendar,” Matehe said.
“I’ve gained so much knowledge about my own wellbeing since being a part of these wānanga. I never knew how easy it was to meditate until I was taught how to do it properly, now I do it all the time. Rest is so important for our wellbeing, but many of us don’t know how to calm our minds,” added Materita, rangatahi leader.
Following the success of their pilot programme, Toi Matarua who are based in Napier, will continue to deliver their Maramataka wānanga for the rangatahi of Ngāti Kahungunu.
If you are a young person based in Hawke’s Bay or have a young person in your whānau you’d like to get involved in the kaupapa, you can get in touch with TM via their website, www.toimatarua.com
— written by the Toi Matarua (TM) comms team
