Paeone Goonan, Resource Teacher of Learning and Behaviour in Te Rohe o Te Waiariki Bay of Plenty
What does Matariki mean to you?
Matariki is the beginning of the Maramataka, te Mātahi o te Tau. It’s a reflection of our loved ones who have died.
How do you celebrate Matariki?
I celebrate this special day with whānau and friends, acknowledging the work that has been done and share memories of our loved ones.
How does Matariki help feed your wairuatanga?
This time is very special to have kai tahi. This special day is about sharing different traditional foods and stories.
Ripeka Lessels, Tumuaki at Te Whata Tau o Pūtauaki
What does Matariki mean to you?
Matariki is the sign of the new year. It reminds me that another year is over and it is time to prepare for the new year. It is a time to remember loved ones gone.
It is a time to give thanks for the provisions of the forest, the sea, the rivers, the air and the land. It is the time of huamata. A time when karakia happens to ensure crops for the new year will be plentiful.
Matariki is a time of rest as the winter months settle in and movement away from home is a lot less frequent. It is time to take care of yourself and be mindful of the environment around you as Papatūānuku also begins the process of cleansing.
It is a time for whānau to huddle together. To work together on things that build whanaungatanga and a time to forgive.
How do you celebrate Matariki?
This year in a little place called Te Teko at the site of the battle of Te Kupenga Pa, Ngāti Awa whānau will celebrate Matariki with the hautapu ceremony. A ceremony to offer up the fruits of the stars, Tupuānuku – land, Tupuārangi – air, Waitī – rivers, Waitā – sea, as a gift of thanks. This ceremony will also end in a remembrance call to all our loved ones that have departed in the last 12 months.
This ceremony will take place before the sunrise and will end as the sun is rising.
After this I will be travelling to Hamilton to watch the Tainui Secondary Schools Kapa Haka competition being held at Claudelands events centre.
How does Matariki help feed your wairuatanga?
I think the fact that we have acknowledged as a nation a ceremony that has its origins here in Aotearoa and celebrates a time-honoured indigenous tradition fills my heart with so much pride.
That we are now teaching our children to observe with pride, the Matariki cluster of stars, the same stars that our great, great grandparents observed at the same time of the year, is an honour.
Remembering family and friends and celebrating them in the hautapu ceremony is a spiritual act and has a way of lifting you into a place of light.
I’m pleased to be able to do this in my life as an educator. This is what fills my heart and wairua with a sense of pride.
Rahema Irwin, kaiako at Central Kids Ngā Ririki Kindergarten
What does Matariki mean to you?
Matariki to me is about connection and returning home to your roots, to your iwi and hapū. It is a time to reflect on the past year, the good and the bad, while remembering those that have passed on and who will begin their journey across the skies. Our little whānau have a bit of a wero and we are going to try and follow our Maramataka this year and do our best to incorporate the teachings and learnings throughout our lives. I think ako is also a huge part of Matariki.
How do you celebrate Matariki?
Last year I was able to celebrate Matariki on my marae and alongside my whānau in Waimana. It was our first Matariki together and it was more beautiful than anything that I had ever experienced. This year I am still unsure, however, my little whānau and I have our fire pit ready out the back in case we decide to have our own celebration at home, where we will make offerings to the stars and share kai.
How does Matariki help feed your wairuatanga?
Tūhono whānau, tūhono whakapapa, tūhono whenua. Through connecting to my tūpuna, my kuia, my koroua, my whānau, whenua and awa, replenishing my wairua. Participating in the revitalisation of our unique celebrations like Matariki alongside my tamariki and ensuring that the essence of Matariki remains so that my mokopuna can experience Matariki too.
Pricilla Ngow, kaiako at Central Kids Ngā Ririki Kindergarten
What does Matariki mean to you?
For me Matariki means a celebration of the Māori new year and a recognition of living in a bicultural and multicultural community. It recognises for me the importance of understanding how tangata whenua used the lunar calendar in their daily life and how we incorporate this into modern life in Aotearoa.
How do you celebrate Matariki?
I celebrate Matariki with the akonga in our centre and also at home around a bonfire with whānau. Usually there are community events to participate in also.
How does Matariki help feed your wairuatanga?
Matariki helps to feed my wairuatanga with the gathering of our communities, whānau and friends as well as the links to the natural world and also those who have passed. It is becoming richer every year and is also a time to celebrate with activities and song.
Jenny Neill, kaiako at Cashmere Avenue School Marae Roa o Khandallah
What does Matariki mean to you?
As tangata tiriti, I am still navigating my understanding of the depth and significance of this time. As I see it currently, it represents remembrance, joy, and peace, all with whanaungatanga. Matariki is the New Year, a time to reflect on the past and set goals for the future. Kia whakatōmuri te haere whakamau: I walk backwards into the future with my eyes fixed on my past. This whakataukī speaks to me about what Matariki means. Being intentional and reflecting within the interwoven concepts of past, present and future.
How do you celebrate Matariki?
Personally, I find solace in observing the stars during Matariki. The sight of the celestial bodies brings a sense of peace that words struggle to convey. I use this quiet space as reflective time to think about those who have passed, and write my goals for the year ahead. I always come together with whānau, and we have a feast. My nieces and nephew decorate a space with lights and lanterns to make a peaceful and intentional space to celebrate, and when possible the brazier comes out for some ahi. Here in Te Whanganui-a-Tara the council put on celebrations for the whole city to engage with, so I will visit this also with friends and/or family.
Within our kura, we come together as a community to celebrate Matariki through a day of workshops and engagement. Our activities include astronomy, gardening, kai creation, kite making, lantern making, poi making, harakeke weaving, waiata and kanikani. We begin the day with a gathering where our kapa haka group performs waiata and community members share stories. We then share breakfast together. Then we move on to the workshops facilitated by whānau and kaiako. Lunch is shared, served by our kai creator workshop. The afternoon is time for Hiwa-i-te-rangi – children reflecting and writing goals. Within the weeks following we share our learning with the community in an assembly, or interactive format. It is a time of whanaungatanga and parekareka.
How does Matariki help feed your wairuatanga?
Matariki helps to ground me and find peace within my soul. It serves as a healing force as I go through the process of reflection and planning. It also connects me to my community and reminds me of my strength and presence. Matariki nurtures my spiritual wellbeing and fosters a sense of harmony and connection within myself and my community.
Hita Hilda Foster, kaiako at Te Kura o Tutarawananga Merivale School
What does Matariki mean to you?
To me, it is spiritual connection to my tīpuna, my koros and nannies, my whānau, friends who have passed on, remembering them.
How do you celebrate Matariki?
Getting together with our own children, mokopuna and tuarua, celebrating working together at school, learning new waiata and whakataukī with tamariki, eating together, celebrating kapa haka, celebrating the passing of one year and a hope of new year. I do not plan for the future, I take it as it comes. I try to go home to connect with my whānau, my marae, hapū and iwi but it is often not possible. I love Facebook because I can look on there to find out what some of my whānau is doing.
How does Matariki help feed your wairuatanga?
Matariki reminds me of my wairuatanga, beliefs, wellbeing – health, body, my karakia, my tikanga, kawa, matauranga, mahi tahi, my job. Matariki reminds me of who I am and where I am, therefore “Mānawatia a Matariki” – to honour, acknowledge and welcome Matariki.
