New Zealand Celebrates Maori New Year

For Maori the appearance of the cluster of stars they call Matariki (Pleiades or Seven Sisters to other cultures) above Aotearoa New Zealand signifies the end of one year and the beginning of another. Traditionally this occurred at the end of harvest and was a time to celebrate, prepare the land for planting, renew associations with whanau (family) and friends, reflect on the past and set goals for the future.

Matariki or Maori New Year is celebrated throughout New Zealand in June - marking the most significant event on our country’s cultural calendar.

Nowadays the event is recognised by Pakeha as well, with an increasing awareness of its importance within New Zealand’s unique culture. Matariki is also attracting increased international attention and high profile media representatives from throughout the world will attend this year’s celebrations. For visitors to the country in June, Matariki offers a rare opportunity to experience every aspect of New Zealand’s unique Maori culture, first hand.

The official 2008 celebrations kicked off in Wellington with a dawn service at Te Papa, the National Museum of New Zealand, on June 6. A series of public and private events were then held throughout the country during the month with dates of celebrations differing depending on various Iwi or tribes. Festivals and community events showcased local food, art, fashion, music and craft.

In Northland special celebrations focused on Hokianga Harbour, the oldest inhabited part of New Zealand, where local communities came together to revive traditions of the past and celebrate with craft workshops, art and jewellery exhibitions, feasts and a Celestial Navigation Tour. Visitors were also able to experience a hosted weekend on a local marae.

Auckland ran several special events and the Stardome Observatory offered the chance to actually view the pre-dawn rising of the star cluster Matariki. Auckland Museum hosted a range of special educational tours covering Maori customs and protocols surrounding fishing and the Maori God of the Sea as well as storytelling tours and Maori food events. New Zealand master carver Rangi Wills demonstrated the art of carving a traditional fish hook and free classes taught visitors how to fold flax stars.

In the Bay of Plenty a public artwork or Te Pou o Matariki in downtown Tauranga provided a focus for events. Celebrations in the region included an outdoor concert with kapa haka (dance) groups; a special Matariki exhibition at the Creative Tauranga community art gallery with works by local artists; Trek Mauao to see the Matariki constellation; a manutukutuku (or kite) building and flying event at Mt Maunganui; educational cultural tours and an eight course food demonstration with Charles Royal the well known New Zealand Maori chef who specialises in using traditional local ingredients.

New Plymouth and Whanganui in the Taranaki region celebrated the arrival of Puanga also known as Riegel which appears in the north eastern horizon in late may or early June. New Plymouth’s celebrations centred on Pukeariki the area’s cultural and heritage centre also known as ‘Hill of Chiefs’ which has special significance to Maori. In pre European times Maori chiefs were buried here.

The Matariki programme included literature, craft and musical events as well as an astronomy information programme at the local observatory. Whanganui’s festival was an open invitation for everyone to learn and experience all aspects of traditional Maori life from astral navigation to a cutting edge fashion show, art exhibition, planting day, marae open days, kapa haka and musical events.

Rotorua celebrated with a large art exhibition, a HOT Winter Mud Festival and "FBI Raids Close to Home" a play about FBI raids into a North American Indian reservation.

Hawkes Bay hosted several festival events with fireworks displays, a Maori hand games contest, special three course dinner event at Matariki Wines and activities and interactive events at Marineland in Napier.

Wellington’s Matariki events included a number of concerts and contemporary dance shows; a Matariki Starlab session at Te Papa’s mini-planetarium; a Te Huka a tai whanau day (Matariki family day); ‘Storyplace’ sessions for children to learn about the Maori world; the 50th anniversary of the first exhibition of contemporary Maori art; a hangi cuisine cook off; a performing arts festival for secondary schools and a fashion extravaganza involving politician Whetu Tirikatene-Sullivan.

In Southland, the region’s popular Fire and Ice Festival was transformed into a celebration of Maori New Year with a dramatic visual performance featuring two well known New Zealand artists Rima Te Wiata and Kristian Lavercome.