What to do over the long Matariki weekend
Wednesday, 26 June 2024
Marking the start of the Māori New Year, Matariki is a time to get together with friends and whānau to stargaze, tell stories, overindulge in locally sourced kai and generally have fun.
With the darkest day of the year behind us, it’s also a time to reflect on the past, remember lost loved ones and make plans for the year ahead.
Thankfully the Matariki public holiday has given us an extra day to fit it all in. If you still haven’t made plans, here a few of the best things to consider.
Auckland
Tāmaki Makaurau’s Matariki Festival will be in full swing, with a multitude of events set to take place over the long weekend.
Held at the Botanic Gardens in Manurewa on Friday from 12pm to 6pm, Te Hui Ahurei o Matariki (Matariki Festival Day) is one of the biggest, featuring a stellar line-up of Kiwi musicians, including te reo rock band KIKO, reggae dancehall star Rubi Du, and spoken word artists Rehekōrero.
The free event will also feature a mākete Māori (Māori market) complete with quality kai trucks, guest speakers, kapa haka performances, carving, weaving, and mirimi (massage). Make sure you stay for the grand finale: A dazzling light show from Soulstorm.
Bay of Islands
The annual Matariki dinner at the historic Duke of Marlborough hotel in Russell was a sell-out last year, and this year’s event promises just as much deliciousness.
Māori celebrity chef Tohunga Tumau will be back to showcase his fine dining skills for the fourth year running alongside the likes of Hangi Master Rewi Spraggon, New Zealand MasterChef winners Karena and Kasey Bird and the Duke’s own executive chef Tama Salive.
The canapé reception at 5pm is followed by a four-course meal paired with Northland- and Māori-produced wines. Tickets cost $240 per person or $2400 for a table of 10.
See matarikinz.com
Rotorua
Aotearoa’s only iwi-owned luxury wellness facility Wai Ariki Hot Springs & Spa is hosting a special event to coincide with the appearance of the Matariki star cluster in the night sky and a spectacular drone show in its honour.
The ‘Sip, Soak and Stars’ event, to be held between 7:30pm and 9pm on Thursday and Friday, will see guests gaze up at what will hopefully be a star-studded night sky from the comfort of a heated pool designed especially for stargazing, and the mineral-rich Waitī and Waitā pools.
They’ll wash down a gourmet platter with a complimentary drink as they also take in a Matariki-themed drone show created by Māori artists Cian Elyse White (Ngāti Pikiao) and Mataia Keepa (Ngāti Whakaue) in collaboration with Perth-based drone company First Lights. Tickets are limited and cost $175 per person.
If that sounds a bit pricey, you can watch the drone show, which starts at 8pm, for free at the Rotorua Lakefront.
See wai-ariki.co.nz and aronuiartsfestival.com
Wellington
Matariki isn’t the only celestial object to signal the start of the Māori New Year. Puanga, also known as Puaka or Rigel, appears in the night sky shortly before the Matariki star cluster each year. As Matariki isn’t visible from everywhere in Aotearoa, Puanga, which sits higher in the sky, is the harbinger of the New Year for many.
Wellington’s Matarangi Puanga celebrations recognise the rising of both, and one of its most popular events is set to take place between Thursday and Sunday - and it’s free to attend.
Head down to the waterfront at 6pm and walk through a series of performances and projections before attending a ceremony which, in keeping with Matariki traditions, honours those who have passed away over the past year.
Attendees write down the names of lost loved ones along with any memories or hopes for the future they may wish to express, and place them in baskets at the Memorial Wall and Whairepo Lagoon.
The Pōhutukawa and Hiwa-i-te-rangi ceremony begins at the Memorial Wall at 7:45pm, and moves along Te Papa Promenade to Whairepo Lagoon where these pieces of paper are set alight, signifying the stars that those who have departed the earthly realm are said to become.
See wellingtonnz.com
Christchurch
Ōtautahi Christchurch’s free Tīrama Mai festival has proved so popular it outgrew its original Botanic Gardens location and took over the city centre.
This year’s event will feature more than 20 artworks, many of which are illuminated, along with performances and storytelling.
Artworks are displayed around the Arts Centre and Riverside Market, as well as near Worcester Blvd, Oxford Tce, and Te Pae Convention Centre. Live storytelling and kapa haka sessions will be held between 6pm and 8pm on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
The theme for Matariki in 2024 is Matariki heri kai, which comes from the Māori proverb ‘Matariki whetū her kai’ (Matariki, the bringer of food). Not-for-profit organisation Eat New Zealand has put together a series of events in partnership with Ngāi Tahu whānau which focus on the idea that everyone has something they can bring to the table and that we shouldn’t need to have money to have food.
Highlights of Feast Matariki include a hakari (feast) in The Great Hall of Te Matatiki Toi Ora The Christchurch Arts Centre on Thursday, and a free event called Kai Hau Kai on Saturday, which will see Māori chef Josh Hunter whip up something exceptional from the food people have brought along.
See ccc.govt.nz and feastmatariki.nz
Dunedin
Ōtepoti’s Puaka Matariki Festival has lots on offer over the long weekend, including what is marketed as Aotearoa’s largest drone show.
Held at Logan Park on Saturday from 5:30pm to 8pm, the show will see more than 200 drones perform a piece choreographed by local Kai Tahu artists like high-tech ballet dancers.
When your puku starts to rumble, head to Night Market Lane next to Logan Park Drive to check out the food trucks. You can also look forward to live performances and face painting for the kids.
See scifest.org.nz and aronuiartsfestival.com