Mānawa maiea te putanga o Matariki | Celebrate the rising of Mataiki
Mānawa maiea te ariki o te rangi | Celebrate the lord of the skies
Mānawa maiea te Mātahi o te Tau | Celebrate the new year
Whano, whano | Unite, unite
Haramai te toki ata huakirangi | And bring forth the dawn
Haumi e | together
Hui e | In union
Tāiki e! | We are one!
Matariki is the Māori name for the cluster of stars that rises mid-winter and signifies the start of the Māori new year. The theme for Matariki 2023 is ‘Matariki Kāinga Hokia’, meaning ‘Matariki calls you home’.
Matariki is for all people in Aotearoa New Zealand. It’s a time for remembrance (honouring those we have lost since the last rising of Matariki), celebration (giving thanks for what we have) and preparation (looking forward to the new year).
“This year, we encourage everyone to return to their whānau and their people, wherever and whoever that might be. We want people to journey back home to celebrate, feast and be with whānau and friends.”
(Matariki Kāinga Hokia)
There are many ways you can get involved with Matariki, individually, with your whānau or as an organisation/business. To celebrate Matariki, we can all acknowledge Te Tiriti o Waitangi, improve our understanding of mātaraunga Māori, incorporate tikanga and practice te reo Māori.
It’s important to take time to understand how you can celebrate Matariki authentically. The Matariki website provides great information and resources for how you can show your support and get involved; following their guidelines and resources is a great place to start.
This Friday (14 July) is our second official Matariki public holiday here in Aotearoa, and it provides a perfect time to acknowledge, learn and celebrate. We encourage you all to take some time out this Friday to learn more about Matariki and spend time with friends and whānau, reflecting on the year that has been, celebrating the present and looking forward to what is ahead.
Celebrations are well underway in the Bay of Plenty, so be sure to look up what’s on near you and join in this weekend.
Find more information on Matariki here.