Latest news with #Tangaroa
NZ Herald
14-07-2025
- General
- NZ Herald
On The Up: Makorori Environmental Protection Society volunteers planting dunes to protect coast
The incorporated society secured funding from the Department of Internal Affairs' cyclone appeal to launch its restoration project, focused on removing exotic weeds, planting natural dune species, reducing accessways across the dunes and erecting educational signage to raise awareness of the work. By the end of it, the group aims to have planted more than 8000 native plants covering 3000 square metres of dune area, set up more than 250m of protective fencing, remove more than 100 cubic metres of invasive weeds and establish a community shed for tools and health and safety equipment. They hope to upskill volunteers in safe chemical handling and storage as well. Makorori resident Gwen Hinga, of MEPS, said there have been a couple of weeding days earlier in the month to prepare the whenua. Last weekend's outing was the first of three planned planting days. 'Last season we started some backdune planting... with wiwi and that was really successful,' Hinga said. Wiwi is a variety of coastal rush. The council had donated plants through local providers. 'Makorori has a lot of exotic weeds that are really stifling the whenua, so it is unable to do the job it is meant to do, which is to protect the land from Tangaroa's encroachment,' she said. 'By strengthening our dunes, we allow proper sand movement, which allows for erosion and accretion. By having good backdunes, we can create the right environment for foredunes.' She said the plants they were working with were kōwhangatara (spinifex) and pīngao (golden sand sedge), which they were trying to reintroduce to Makorori. She said there was a 'good mix' of local volunteers and those from outside the area on Sunday. The volunteers included Martin and Charlotte Friel, from Scotland, who were visiting relatives and decided to pitch in. Martin, left, and Charlotte Friel, from Scotland, were visiting relatives and decided to pitch in on the dune planting day. Photo / James Pocock 'We have a lot of locals who are super into this and come down to help when they can, because there is a lot to do,' she said. 'Ngā mihi to the community for turning out today.' She hopes the kaupapa will eventually extend along the area's entire coastline. 'It will be awesome to share that with our people because a lot of people have forgotten why we have sand dunes.' She acknowledged the volunteers and key partners, including the council, Fulton Hogan, Eastland Port, the Women's Native Tree Project Trust, Tairāwhiti Coastal Care Group, Coastlands Plant Nursery in Whakatāne and Ngāti Oneone. MEPS received a Coastal Restoration Award at the Coastal Restoration Trust conference in Uawa earlier in the year for its work.
Otago Daily Times
17-06-2025
- Otago Daily Times
What you need to know about the Matariki holiday
Matariki celebrates the Māori New Year and is a time for people to gather, honour the dead, celebrate the present and make plans for the future. This year, the public holiday falls on Friday, June 20. It became an official public holiday only in 2022, but it's already become one of our most meaningful days and the first holiday to recognise Te Ao Māori. It was the first new public holiday since Waitangi Day became a public holiday in 1974. The date of Matariki changes from year to year, but it will always fall in June or July. There will be plenty of Matariki events throughout Friday and the weekend, and RNZ will be featuring coverage throughout. Do I have to work? It's a non-working day just like any other public holiday - which means if you are asked to work on the day (as regularly rostered), you're entitled to time-and-a-half pay and an alternative day off. What's open? Trading restrictions don't apply to Matariki in the way they do on Easter holidays, Christmas or the first half of Anzac Day. Shops, restaurants, cafes and other businesses can be open as usual, but they can close if they wish - so it pays to check opening hours beforehand. Will there be surcharges? Hospitality businesses can add a 15 percent surcharge to their services to cover the costs of paying employees time and a-half. If a business does charge a surcharge, they must have clear signage communicating this to the customer. Customers can complain to the Commerce Commission if they feel they have been misled about surcharges. What is Matariki all about? Matariki is the name of a star cluster in the constellation of Taurus, commonly known as Pleiades. In mid-winter, the stars rise and herald in Te Mātahi o te Tau, the Māori New Year. The word 'Matariki' is an abbreviation of 'Ngā mata o te ariki o Tāwhirimātea' or 'the eyes of the god Tāwhirimātea'. Matariki was taken as a wife by Rehua and she gave birth to eight children, each star having a unique purpose and defined role in Te Ao Māori. Traditionally falling at the end of the harvest, the cluster's rise marked a time of abundant food and feasting. Today, people across Aotearoa gather to celebrate the day with plenty of kai, stargazing, and community gathering. Why does the holiday date change each year? Matariki public holiday is observed on different dates each year. This is because Māori follow an environmental calendar system that considers the sun, the moon, various stars, and other ecological indicators to determine time. The Matariki public holiday dates fall on the closest Friday to the Tangaroa lunar period during the lunar month of Pipiri. Tangaroa is not a single phase of the moon but rather the last quarter period of the lunar calendar. Because of this, the dates to celebrate Matariki will differ from year to year. Future public holiday dates In 2022, the Matariki Advisory Committee set out the Matariki public holiday dates for the next 30 years. 2025 - 20 June 2026 - 10 July 2027 - 25 June 2028 - 14 July 2029 - 6 July 2030 - 21 June 2031- 11 July 2032 - 2 July 2033 - 24 June 2034 - 7 July 2035 - 29 June 2036 - 18 July 2037 - 10 July 2038 - 25 June 2039 - 15 July 2040 - 6 July 2041 - 19 July 2042 - 11 July 2043 - 3 July 2044 - 24 June 2045 - 7 July 2046 - 29 June 2047 - 19 July 2048 - 3 July 2049 - 25 June 2050 - 15 July 2051 - 30 June 2052 - 21 June
Otago Daily Times
17-06-2025
- Otago Daily Times
Matariki public holiday: What you need to know
Matariki celebrates the Māori New Year and is a time for people to gather, honour the dead, celebrate the present and make plans for the future. This year, the public holiday falls on Friday, June 20. It became an official public holiday only in 2022, but it's already become one of our most meaningful days and the first holiday to recognise Te Ao Māori. It was the first new public holiday since Waitangi Day became a public holiday in 1974. The date of Matariki changes from year to year, but it will always fall in June or July. There will be plenty of Matariki events throughout Friday and the weekend, and RNZ will be featuring coverage throughout. Do I have to work? It's a non-working day just like any other public holiday - which means if you are asked to work on the day (as regularly rostered), you're entitled to time-and-a-half pay and an alternative day off. What's open? Trading restrictions don't apply to Matariki in the way they do on Easter holidays, Christmas or the first half of Anzac Day. Shops, restaurants, cafes and other businesses can be open as usual, but they can close if they wish - so it pays to check opening hours beforehand. Will there be surcharges? Hospitality businesses can add a 15 percent surcharge to their services to cover the costs of paying employees time and a-half. If a business does charge a surcharge, they must have clear signage communicating this to the customer. Customers can complain to the Commerce Commission if they feel they have been misled about surcharges. What is Matariki all about? Matariki is the name of a star cluster in the constellation of Taurus, commonly known as Pleiades. In mid-winter, the stars rise and herald in Te Mātahi o te Tau, the Māori New Year. The word 'Matariki' is an abbreviation of 'Ngā mata o te ariki o Tāwhirimātea' or 'the eyes of the god Tāwhirimātea'. Matariki was taken as a wife by Rehua and she gave birth to eight children, each star having a unique purpose and defined role in Te Ao Māori. Traditionally falling at the end of the harvest, the cluster's rise marked a time of abundant food and feasting. Today, people across Aotearoa gather to celebrate the day with plenty of kai, stargazing, and community gathering. Why does the holiday date change each year? Matariki public holiday is observed on different dates each year. This is because Māori follow an environmental calendar system that considers the sun, the moon, various stars, and other ecological indicators to determine time. The Matariki public holiday dates fall on the closest Friday to the Tangaroa lunar period during the lunar month of Pipiri. Tangaroa is not a single phase of the moon but rather the last quarter period of the lunar calendar. Because of this, the dates to celebrate Matariki will differ from year to year. Future public holiday dates In 2022, the Matariki Advisory Committee set out the Matariki public holiday dates for the next 30 years. 2025 - 20 June 2026 - 10 July 2027 - 25 June 2028 - 14 July 2029 - 6 July 2030 - 21 June 2031- 11 July 2032 - 2 July 2033 - 24 June 2034 - 7 July 2035 - 29 June 2036 - 18 July 2037 - 10 July 2038 - 25 June 2039 - 15 July 2040 - 6 July 2041 - 19 July 2042 - 11 July 2043 - 3 July 2044 - 24 June 2045 - 7 July 2046 - 29 June 2047 - 19 July 2048 - 3 July 2049 - 25 June 2050 - 15 July 2051 - 30 June 2052 - 21 June
1News
17-06-2025
- Business
- 1News
Matariki: What's open, what's not, and when you have to pay a surcharge
Matariki celebrates the Māori New Year and is a time for people to gather, honour the dead, celebrate the present and make plans for the future. This year, the public holiday falls on Friday, June 20. It became an official public holiday only in 2022, but it's already become one of our most meaningful days and the first holiday to recognise Te Ao Māori. It was the first new public holiday since Waitangi Day became a public holiday in 1974. The date of Matariki changes from year to year, but it will always fall in June or July. There will be plenty of Matariki events throughout Friday and the weekend, and RNZ will be featuring coverage throughout. ADVERTISEMENT Do I have to work? It's a non-working day just like any other public holiday – which means if you are asked to work on the day (as regularly rostered), you're entitled to time-and-a-half pay and an alternative day off. What's open? Trading restrictions don't apply to Matariki in the way they do on Easter holidays, Christmas or the first half of Anzac Day. Shops, restaurants, cafes and other businesses can be open as usual, but they can close if they wish – so it pays to check opening hours beforehand. Will there be surcharges? Hospitality businesses can add a 15 percent surcharge to their services to cover the costs of paying employees time-and-a-half. ADVERTISEMENT If a business does charge a surcharge, they must have clear signage communicating this to the customer. Customers can complain to the Commerce Commission if they feel they have been misled about surcharges. What is Matariki all about? Matariki is the name of a star cluster in the constellation of Taurus, commonly known as Pleiades. In mid-winter, the stars rise and herald in Te Mātahi o te Tau, the Māori New Year. The word 'Matariki' is an abbreviation of 'Ngā mata o te ariki o Tāwhirimātea' or 'the eyes of the god Tāwhirimātea'. Matariki was taken as a wife by Rehua and she gave birth to eight children, each star having a unique purpose and defined role in Te Ao Māori. Traditionally falling at the end of the harvest, the cluster's rise marked a time of abundant food and feasting. Today, people across Aotearoa gather to celebrate the day with plenty of kai, stargazing, and community gathering. Why does the holiday date change each year? ADVERTISEMENT Matariki public holiday is observed on different dates each year. This is because Māori follow an environmental calendar system that considers the sun, the moon, various stars, and other ecological indicators to determine time. The Matariki public holiday dates fall on the closest Friday to the Tangaroa lunar period during the lunar month of Pipiri. Tangaroa is not a single phase of the moon but rather the last quarter period of the lunar calendar. Because of this, the dates to celebrate Matariki will differ from year to year. Future public holiday dates In 2022, the Matariki Advisory Committee set out the Matariki public holiday dates for the next 30 years. 2025 - June 20 2026 - July 10 ADVERTISEMENT 2027 - June 25 2028 - July 14 2029 - July 6 2030 - June 21 2031- July 11 2032 - July 2 2033 - June 24 ADVERTISEMENT 2034 - July 7 2035 - June 29 2036 - July 18 2037 - July 10 2038 - June 25 2039 - July 15 2040 - July 6 ADVERTISEMENT 2041 - July 19 2042 - July 11 2043 - July 3 2044 - June 24 2045 - July 7 2046 - June 29 2047 - July 19 ADVERTISEMENT 2048 - July 3 2049 - June 25 2050 - July 15 2051 - June 30 2052 - June 21
