Trip Notes podcast Host Lorna Riley tells Ryan where the best places to be are this Matariki, and the rise of dark sky destinations. Video / Herald NOW
Matariki celebrates the Māori New Year and is a time for people to gather, honour the dead, celebrate the present and make plans for the future.
This year, the public holiday falls on June 20.
It became an official public holiday in 2022 and is the first holiday to recognisete ao Māori. It was the first new public holiday since Waitangi Day became a public holiday in 1974.
MetService forecaster Samkelo Magwala told the Herald a front was forecast to move across the South Island on Friday morning, bringing rain to western parts of the country.
“Otherwise, dry in the east and dry in the north of the North Island,” he said.
“There is also a possibility of snow in the morning for high areas, especially in areas close to Mt Cook.”
Magwala said rain was forecast for the North Island, especially in the west.
“With some heavy falls in Waitomo, Taupō and Taumarunui.
Temperatures are set to remain chilly for most of the country; however, residents in the north of the North Island should see some respite.
Auckland is forecast to reach a high of 17C and a low of 11C, Hamilton is forecast to start at 6C and reach a high of 16C and Napier will reach a balmy high of 19C but a low of 7C.
In the South Island, Christchurch will reach a high of 14C and a low of 4C while Alexandra will fall below single digits with a high of 9C and a low of 2C.
Auckland is set to celebrate the Māori New Year with an explosion of light, music and arts, with no shortage of free and ticketed events on offer. In keeping with the spirit of the holiday, many of them celebrate reflection, remembrance and giving thanks to whānau and community.
Rotorua Matariki celebrations promise to leave locals and visitors alike feeling “enriched and inspired” this long weekend.
Karangahape Rd will be a flurry of activity this Matariki.
What’s open?
Trading restrictions don’t apply to Matariki in the way they do to Easter holidays, Christmas or the first half of Anzac Day.
Shops, restaurants, cafes and other businesses can be open as usual, but they can close if they wish.
Hospitality businesses can add a 15% surcharge to their services to cover the costs of paying employees time-and-a-half.
If a business does charge a surcharge, it must have clear signage communicating this to the customer.
Customers can complain to the Commerce Commission if they feel they have been misled about surcharges.
What is Matariki all about?
Matariki is the name of a star cluster in the constellation of Taurus, commonly known as the Pleiades. In midwinter, the stars rise and herald Te Mātahi o te Tau, the Māori New Year.
The word “Matariki” is an abbreviation of “Ngā mata o te ariki o Tāwhirimātea” or “the eyes of the god Tāwhirimātea”. Matariki was taken as a wife by Rehua and she gave birth to eight children, each star having a unique purpose and defined role in te ao Māori.
Traditionally falling at the end of the harvest, the cluster’s rise marked a time of abundant food and feasting. Today, people celebrate the day with plenty of kai, stargazing, and community gathering.
This is because Māori follow an environmental calendar system that considers the sun, the moon, various stars, and other ecological indicators to determine time.
The Matariki public holiday dates fall on the closest Friday to the Tangaroa lunar period during the lunar month of Pipiri. Tangaroa is not a single phase of the moon but rather the last quarter period of the lunar calendar. Because of this, the dates to celebrate Matariki will differ from year to year.
Future public holiday dates
In 2022, the Matariki Advisory Committee set out the Matariki public holiday dates for the next 30 years.
