Tariana Turia: New beginnings, not just in the north

Over the weekend we were thinking about the importance of June 25.
Now of course, everyone knows that that's the day of the Te Tai Tokerau by-election so all eyes will be on te Nota that day!
But it's also the day Ngati Apa/Nga Wairiki is celebrating Matariki at Whangaehu Marae - as we have done every year.
I wouldn't miss it for the world.
Matariki, or Puanga as we in Whanganui recall, symbolises the start of the Maori New Year.
Matariki is often referred to as a mother star with six daughters - Waiti, Waita, Waipuna-a-rangi, Tupu-a-nuku, Tupu-a-rangi and Ururangi. Astronomers may also refer to it as the Seven Sisters - or the Pleiades star cluster. When Puanga - or Rigel - is spotted in the dawn sky it provides us all with the inspiration and the motivation to be together, and to celebrate.
In days gone by, Puanga-Matariki was seen as an important time to celebrate Papatuanuku - Mother Earth - and to show respect for the land on which we live. Offerings would be made to the gods to help provide good crops. New trees were planted to signal new beginnings. It was thought that the brighter the stars, the more productive the crops will be.
As time has evolved, however, Matariki has become a unique occasion for whanau to gather together, to reflect on the past and prepare for the future. It is an ideal opportunity to remember our loved ones, to share the legacy of our tupuna, to treasure their teachings.
And it is also about paving a pathway forward that includes us all. Matariki is a fantastic opportunity to start our own family traditions, to celebrate with food and music, to share stories together.
You might want to bring the family together to feast and give thanks.
It might be an ideal chance to clear away the winter vegetables and prepare your garden for the new planting. This could become a new family ritual that for at least one day in the year, you're together with your hands in the soil, planning and planting for the days ahead.
Maybe Matariki will become the time to create new year's resolutions or to renew the ones you set for yourself in January. It could be a good time to create whanau resolutions - for the whole family to commit to.
Or perhaps - if you're really daring - this might be the time to sleep under the stars, to bring together family memories and establish some new ones.
I'd love to hear your stories about whether your whanau celebrates Matariki - or if it's an idea whose time has come. Happy planning!