Green MP Teanau Tuiono: Matariki needs to be more than just a holiday

Uia nga whetu - ask the stars. Palmerston North-based MP Teanau Tuiono with fellow Green MPs Elizabeth Kerekere (left) and Marama Davidson. Photo / Supplied

Opinion:

We will be celebrating Matariki as a public holiday for the first time next year, but it must become more than just an excuse to let off fireworks.

The rising of Matariki, or Puanga, was an environmental indicator for our tīpuna and how they would plan and manage their maara kai (food gardens). Matariki is a part of our whakapapa, taught to us by our ancestors and used as a guide to help us listen to the environment, from our mountains to the forests, from our rivers and out to the ocean; the environment is all connected.

This ecological wisdom reminds us that human beings are part of the natural world and that that world is finite. Unlimited economic growth is not only counter to that wisdom, but also destructive to the environment and ultimately to ourselves.

Matariki is an opportunity for us all to reflect on how we connect with, and are a part of, the environment. One of the best ways to start this kōrero is with our tamariki in our schools. With the curriculum under review this year, this is the time to ensure we prioritise and centre the environment in our teaching of science, social studies, history and te reo Māori.

That is why this Matariki we are calling for ecological sustainability to be embedded in the national curriculum. This needs to be supported by professional development for teachers, plus teaching and learning resources. This would support the amazing work already being done by groups like Enviroschools and Para Kore.

For many Māori communities, who have always celebrated Matariki, we are also calling for more support for whānau, kura and communities to strengthen their relationship to whenua, to kai, to indigenous food sovereignty.

One of the easiest ways to get our tamariki and our wider communities to begin to work with the whenua is right there in our maara kai in our gardens. Connecting communities to food production by supporting community gardens; strengthening food growing at school; and making sure all school kids get opportunities to see how their food is grown.

Kai brings communities together so supporting communities to collectively grow, farm, compost, bake, cook is a great way to start this conversation about the importance of Matariki.

• Teanau Tuiono is a Green list MP based in Palmerston North.