Re: News journalist Te Ahipourewa Forbes shares why she’s always celebrated Matariki even before it was made an official public holiday.
Matariki marks the start of the Māori New Year.
I’ve always celebrated Matariki. This is probably because I grew up in te ao Māori and went to kura Māori.
In April 2022, legislation setting up Matariki as an official public holiday passed in Parliament.
Since then, I have seen Matariki be celebrated more broadly. I also think this is because of the growing awareness of Māori issues, and the revitalisation of our reo.
Plus, our Māori population has seen one of the largest increases in the past five years, with data from the 2023 Census showing that nearly one million people identify as Māori.
I think more people are reconnecting with their roots and whakapapa.
And with Matariki becoming a public holiday, I also think this encourages people – Māori and non-Māori – to celebrate and participate in some way as well.
Matariki Heri Kai
Matariki Heri Kai – The feast of Matariki, is this year’s theme.
It comes from the Māori proverb, “Matariki Whetū heri kai” which means “Matariki, the bringer of food”.
This reminds me so much of how I celebrated Matariki growing up.
It has always been a time of growing and preparing kai, but also learning about the best times to do so.
Professor Rangi Mātāmua, who is Chief Advisor – Mātauranga Matariki, said: “The different stars in the Matariki cluster have an association to the various domains from where we source our food, in particular: gardens (Tupuānuku), forests (Tupuārangi), fresh water (Waitī) and ocean (Waitā).
“This connection encourages us to consider our role in protecting and caring for these ecosystems.”
Tumu Whakarae Secretary for Culture and Heritage Leauanae Laulu Mac Leauanae said Matariki is for all people in Aotearoa.
“This year we are celebrating our food producers, our food suppliers, our wonderful culinary culture and the environments our food comes from,” Leauanae said.
“Whether the food is from our farms, our oceans or our gardens, I encourage you to experience Matariki on 28 June with kai. Reach out to your community, your whānau, and your friends to share kai, however you wish to come together.”
Celebrating Matariki at school
At the time of Matariki, our schedules in school would change.
Instead of sitting indoors all day, all the kids would be out in the māra (garden) – growing and harvesting kai.
We learnt about the stars and the moon. We learnt about the best time to be growing and harvesting, and the best time to fish.
We would learn new waiata and eventually perform for our whānau.
We would have kai together, sometimes a hāngī or maybe a boil-up that the students had prepared with food grown from the school garden.
Every year around Matariki, we would make artwork of our favourite star.
Currently, my favourite star is Hiwa-i-te-Rangi. She is the youngest star in the Matariki cluster.
Hiwa-i-te-Rangi is the star that Māori send their dreams and aspirations to. This has been compared to wishing upon a star, or your New Year’s resolution.
I’m not sure if Hiwa-i-te-Rangi knows about my newsletter but my dream and aspiration is world peace, please.
How I see Matariki as an adult
As an adult, I really think about my goals for the new year. I think about all those who I’ve lost.
It’s a really beautiful time of letting go of those loved ones and looking forward to the new year.
Matariki for me is usually a really happy and uplifting time.
This changed a bit last year when at the time of Matariki, my whānau lost a very special person.
Matariki will always remind me and my whānau of those who we have lost but especially of this person in particular, as Matariki now represents the time they left us.
Ways to embrace Matariki
Last year, I spoke to author, climate change activist and now MP for Te Pāti Māori, Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke, about ways to embrace Matariki.
Hana-Rawhiti, who has written about the Maramataka, said coming together with friends and whānau is one way to embrace Matariki.
Another is giving back – this could be donating to those less fortunate or even giving back to the taiao (environment) by planting a tree.
Letting go of loved ones who we’ve lost is a way of starting fresh at Matariki, Hana-Rawhiti said.
Goal setting can also be a way of preparing for the new year and for people who potentially don’t know a lot about Matariki, Hana-Rawhiti said it’s the perfect opportunity to research Matariki as a whole.
Here are some things to do around Aotearoa
SkyCity Matariki night markets in Auckland
When: June 29 and July 6
Time: 3pm – 9pm
Where SkyCity Plaza
Matariki at Te Papa
When: Now – July 8
Time 10am – 6pm
Where: Rongomaraeroa, Te Papa, Level 4 – Wellington
Matariki Film Festival
When: Now – July 3
Where: Cathay Cinemas, 27 Hobson Ave Kerikeri
Matariki at the library
When: July 10 – July 12
Where: Taupō and Tūrangi libraries
Find more events in your town here.
– Republished from the weekly Re: newsletter, The Review. You can sign up to the newsletter here.
