Kites welcome in Matariki at Hamilton Gardens

Kites jostle for space and a bit of breeze at the Matariki at the kite flying day. Photo / Terry Su

Colourful kites flew above the Hamilton Garden's Turtle Lake hill in celebration of Matariki on Sunday.

Friends of Hamilton Gardens hosted the event and organiser Marleina Ruka said Matariki marks the start of the Māori New Year and is heralded by the appearance of the star constellation, Pleiades.

Ruka said Māori used kites as a communication tool and symbolically they reached up to the stars and connected heaven and earth.

The special kite flying day — Matariki Manu Tukutuku — saw local businesses donating towards the event in an effort to bring the community together. Free rainbow-coloured kites were distributed, families made manu tukutuku (traditional kites) and paper bag kites, there was face painting and a sausage sizzle.

Franklin Laban and her daughters Shalom, 8, and Shania, 4, were amongst a few hundred people, young and old, flying kites.

"We're here to celebrate the kite festival and see what Matariki actually is," Franklin said.

It was drizzling when they arrived but they waited for hours for the weather to improve.
"If it is rain or sun we wanted to enjoy with our family. It's very good seeing everyone
coming together. It's like a family time for everyone and I love it," Franklin said.

Shania had her face painted and Shalom had a kite she intended to show her school friends on Monday.

"I will tell them about how I made the manu tukutuku."

Shalom said she learned the seven stars had a job to do and that if you see the seven sisters that means the season is going to be good.

Both girls had received a free kite but when the MC announced that a family had missed out they wanted to share.

"We gave one of the kites to another family who didn't have it because Matariki is about sharing, share your love and your happiness so we shared the kite with somebody just so another family would be happy," Franklin said.

One happy family was the Abdelrazeq family from Jordan who won a Hobbiton family pass for their original creation.

"Already my husband loved to make kites. He made it and we came here to have fun with the kids. We got first prize for the most creative kite," Lubna said.

Ziad has made kites since he was 7 years old and every year shares his craft with his children. The family moved to New Zealand four years ago and on Sunday their gold and white kite soared highest at the end of a 120m long string.

"We tried from 11.30 in the morning and now we got lucky with the wind. It deserves the prize now," Lubna said.