Matariki: How the Māori lunar calendar guides sustainable farming practices
As Aotearoa celebrates Matariki weekend, it is a good time to look at how Māori farmers used the Maramataka, the lunar year, to guide farming practices. The Matariki hākari (feast) is the time to celebrate the kai that comes from the land of Kiwi farms.
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- NZ Herald
Matariki in Rotorua: Whānau Day draws crowds for cultural events
When you've spent several years as Māori living in Australia like the Kanara whānau, celebrating Matariki in a place like Rotorua is extra special. They were among the hundreds who flowed through the gates at Te Puia today to celebrate Matariki (the Māori New Year) at the Whānau Day. It
NZ Herald
2 hours ago
- NZ Herald
Matariki celebration on Mauao draws over 400 to remember the departed
Hands on the Mauri stone during the Hautapu ceremony as people call out the names of passed loved ones. Photo / Hēmi Rolleston More than 400 people gathered on the summit of Mauao in the early hours of this morning to celebrate Matariki and remember those who have passed. Te Puna I Rangiriri Trust chairman and co-founder Jack Thatcher, who is also a celestial navigator, led the Matariki Maumaharatanga ceremony atop Mauao at
RNZ News
3 hours ago
- RNZ News
Matariki celebrations in Ruapehu make for a new year's day to remember
Ngāti Rangi spokesperson Che Wilson. Photo: Supplied / Richie Mills Ngāti Rangi members are reflecting on the honour of hosting this year's Matariki national holiday ceremony. The ceremonies wrapped up on Friday at Tirorangi Marae at the base of Ruapehu. Ngāti Rangi spokesperson Che Wilson said it was huge honour for Ngāti Rangi to host the celebrations in Ohakune, the "capital of carrots". "It's a huge honour to be able to be the first marae to host the Matariki national holiday ceremony." Many iwi members worked for weeks preparing for the ceremony, from reciting karakia to working in the kitchen. Jamie Turama Tuahuriri Downes was working in the wharekai kitchen, playing his part in what he called the "boar's nest". It had been a huge build-up, he said, including lots of early mornings going hunting. "Lamb or mutton, beef and venison is the main sort of meat that fills [the] fridges and freezers of our people. The ability to go and hunt and gather and bring it all into a place that we call the 'boar's nest', that's a place where a lot of it gets processed." Photo: Supplied / Richie Mills Downes called it "the classroom that every rangatahi needs to be in". "It has become a place that not only feeds this kaupapa in the lead-up to the many people that will turn up before the actual kaupapa, but also for tangihanga, for any kaupapa." Downes said it was an honour to serve in a place where his tūpuna and all of his aunties and uncles had toiled for many years. "Just a massive honour and privilege to be here alongside whānau doing what we do, a lot of steering well away from the cameras because for them this is just what we do on the regular." Photo: Supplied / Richie Mills Tirorangi Marae kaumātua Matiu Wilson was raised near the marae, but has spent most of his life away from the region. "I always wanted to eventually come home to be the next guardian of the homestead, but also to get back involved with Tirorangi." Wilson returned to the marae about five years ago and was now a marae trustee. He said he loved being a part of the paepae, and was enjoying his time getting back in touch with Tirorangi. He said he was proud to see people from all across the country visit his marae. "Tumeke, awesome, beautiful and I'm so proud that I've come home and I've realised what I've missed since I've been away from home for so many years." Tererenga Nikora. Photo: Pokere Paewai / RNZ Tererenga Nikora was one of the manuhiri visiting from Waikato. Unfortunately she missed out on seeing the stars because she was chasing her tamaiti around, she said. But she said Ngāti Rangi had shown amazing manaakitanga, and the locals had been friendly and helpful. "It is stunning. It was amazing. I love seeing Māori stuff like this, especially in te ao Māori and that it's getting bigger, it's going worldwide, so it is so cool to see." Photo: Supplied / Richie Mills Ohakune local Jade said she got a clear view of Puanga on Friday morning. "After the rain yesterday it was just so wonderful to wake up this morning and the clouds had cleared and we could actually see." She said it was "super special" that so many people were visiting her community to share in the kaupapa. Photo: Supplied / Richie Mills Photo: Supplied / Richie Mills Linley (left) and Jade (right). Photo: Pokere Paewai / RNZ Taupō resident Linley said the karakia and karanga from Ngāti Rangi was beautiful. "It's such a privilege to have this opportunity to share and to really demonstrate that unity and that shared understanding." Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
