Celebrating Matariki “Māori New Year”

Studying in Aotearoa New Zealand during the Fall semester? Great choice! You will have the special opportunity to be in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland during the time of Matariki.

What is Matariki?

The Matariki celebration is also known as te Mātahi o te Tau “the Māori New Year”. “Matariki” itself refers to the Pleiades star cluster in the sky. This is because te Mātahi o te Tau begins once the Pleiades star cluster rises in the Aotearoa sky. Matariki consists of an opening ceremony when the star cluster first rises and then continues for several weeks after as people celebrate the New Year.

The stars of Matariki

There are 9 whetū (stars) visible to the naked eye that are acknowledged during Matariki. Each one represents different aspects of te ao Māori (the Māori worldview) that signal the characteristics of the New Year.

• Pōhutukawa - connects us to those who have passed.
• Tipuānuku - associated with gardens and food crops, in particular crops such as kūmara.
• Tipuārangi - associated with birds and elevated foods such as tree fruits.
• Waitī - associated with freshwater and the food fed by that water.
• Waitā - associated with the ocean and all creatures in those waters.
• Waipunarangi - associated with the rain.
• Ururangi - associated with the wind.
• Hiwa-i-te-Rangi - associated with our dreams and aspirations. She is the youngest whetū the one to look towards when making resolutions for the New Year.
• Matariki - signifies hope, reflection, gathering, health/well-being, and connection to the environment. She is known as the mother of the other 8 whetū.

The opening ceremony

Whāngai i te hautapu, or hautapu for short, is the ceremony of “feeding the stars” that begins the time of Matariki. The entirety of the ceremony happens before the sun rises and is generally separated into three sections:

• Te tirohanga - The viewing
  When the star cluster can be seen in the sky, each star is observed and used to make predictions about the coming year.
• Taki mōteatea - Remembrance
  Tohunga (skilled experts) say karakia (chants) to the stars and the names of those who have passed since the last rising of Matariki.
• Te whāngai i ngā whetū - Feeding the stars
  A food item of each of the stars’ domains is cooked in an umu (earth oven) early in the morning before Matariki rises. After taki mōteatea the umu is uncovered and opens the Māori New Year.

Each year, a different iwi is in charge of hosting the official national hautapu where not only locals gather but also politicians from Aotearoa. This year was the first time Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei of Tāmaki Makaurau hosted the national hautapu. Luckily, the celebration date landed on July 10th, the second day of the IES Abroad Aotearoa orientation. 

Several of us got up bright and early to arrive at Bastion Point by 5am. It was really chilly but luckily fire pits were lit around the field. After shivering under the stars, everyone gathered to watch Ngāti Whātua lead taki mōteatea. Before we left, we stopped by the large kai (food) booth where they were served hot pumpkin soup, banana bread, and rēwena (Māori bread). Oooo it was delicious, and the perfect way to end the morning.

Matariki celebrations to check out

Although Matariki and te Mātahi o te Tau have been celebrated by Māori for many generations, this holiday was just recognized as an official public holiday in 2022, making it the first public holiday in Aotearoa to recognize te ao Māori. This means businesses and community spaces all across the country, and especially in Auckland, are celebrating Matariki season during the month of July. If you are studying with IES Abroad, you arrive for orientation during the perfect time to participate.

I would 100% recommend attending a public hautapu if available. It is the perfect welcome into your new time abroad and the culture you will be immersed in for the next several months.

Outside of the hautapu, there are so many markets, workshops, sales, gatherings, etc. happening all around town. Before arriving I would definitely check out matarikifestival.org.nz for all the major events around town. It is also a great way to get a sense of the city’s culture. I went to the Celestial Matariki Market at Ellen Melville Center where there were local vendors from all around the North Island.

Information about Matariki found at tepapa.govt.nz.