Matariki Puanga

Courtenay Place

Courtenay Place Light Boxes exhibition ‘Tēnei te otinga tū’, Saturday 8 June – Sunday 6 October, 77-97 Courtenay Place
The 2024 Matariki Courtenay Place light boxes outdoor exhibition celebrates the centenary of local poi manu group Ngā Uki o te Mounga. For over 100 years Ngā Uki have maintained a presence within Te Whanganui-a-tara. During this time the group has morphed through various phases while maintaining clear tribal connections to Te Āti Awa and Taranaki Whānui. This is artist Shannon Te Ao’s second collaboration with the group.

Community Centres 

Matariki: Kēmu, Kumara & Kawakawa, 2pm-5pm, 3 July, Te Whare Hapori o ngā Puna Waiora – Newtown Community Centre, Cnr of Columbo & Rintoul Streets
Join us for some awesome games (kēmu), kōrero (conversation), and whanaungatanga (connection) with your hapori (community). Have some pārekareka (fun) while you sip on some homemade kawakawa/lemon/honey/ginger tea and munch back some kumara crisps!

Frank Kitts Park

WAITUHI flag series: Ngā kai a Matariki, nāna i ao ake ki runga –The food supplies of Matariki, scooped up, 25 June-late August
Local artist Hemi McGregor (Ngāti Rakaipaaka, Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngāi Tūhoe) has designed a series of flags for the flag poles at Frank Kitts Park that delve into the interconnectedness of harvesting kai with the setting of the Matariki star cluster and its reappearance in winter, which determines the abundance of the coming year. 

Libraries

Matariki and Puanga online reading challenge – Wellington City Libraries, Monday 24 June - late August
Earn digital badges for reading books off a curated Matariki me Puanga booklist. There are two challenges, one for tamariki and one for pākeke on Beanstack. You can pre-register online.

Mānawatia a Matariki me Puanga: July School Holiday Programme, Saturday 6 July - Sunday 21 July
Get ready to dive into the magic of Matariki and Puanga at your local library over the holidays. Plant a seed for Puanga, cosy up for stories and waiata, unleash your creativity with whetū-inspired art, or explore the stars through Virtual Reality. Visit our event calendar for the full schedule of events. 

Toi Pōneke

Exhibition ‘Aho Hononga’, Friday 28 June – Friday 9 August
This six-week exhibition celebrates mana whenua ringatoi of Te Whanganui-a-Tara. It has been created in partnership with mana whenua of Ngāti Toa Rangatira, Te Atiawa and Taranaki Whānui descent.

Pū Rākau Cube Art Trail - Pū Rākau Mataono Ara Toi, 27 June – 18 July
Pū Rākau Mataono makes learning the Māori alphabet and stories enjoyable and engaging for tamariki and whanau. Augmented reality brings the Atua come to life with moving image and sound that reinforce their story and character. Find them at Toi Pōneke Arts Centre (61 Abel Smith Street), Tahiwi (113 the Terrace), Te Wharewaka (1 Taranaki Street), Circa Theatre (2 Taranaki Street), Te Wāhi Āwhina (117A Manner Street),Te Whakaaturanga o te Aro Pā (115 Manners Street). 

Creative Jewellery workshop, 1pm–3pm, Saturday 6 July, Studio 30
Artist Keri-Mei Zagrobelna is hosting ‘Making with the Maramataka’, a fun hands-on workshop, making pendants or earrings from shells, beads, polymer clay etc. Keri-Mei will share and discuss the benefits of creativity, hauora, mental health, well-being, and its relations with the maramataka. This workshop is now fully booked. For a wait list place, e-mail artscentre@wcc.govt.nz.

Te Aka Tawhaito – Te Reo Māori Season, 2pm and 4pm, Friday 19 July, Toi Pōneke Dance Studio
A free children’s theatre show performed in te reo Māori by Taki Rua productions.

Artist’s Talk – Aho Hononga, 12pm–1pm, Saturday 27 July
Join artists Keri-Mei Zagrobelna, Kōhai Grace, and Vianney Parata as they discuss the works in the exhibition Aho Hononga and their respective artforms.

Kōwhaiwhai Painting Demonstration, 1pm–3pm, Saturday 27 July
Visit the Toi Pōneke gallery to see Keanyn Arthur (Ngāti Toa Rangatira, Waikato-Tainui, Ngāti Maniapoto, Rangitāne o Wairau) and Kauia Moriarty (Ngāti Toa Rangatira, Ngāti Koata) doing some live painting inspired by the painting practice - kōwhaiwhai.

Space Place 

Astronomy on Tap, 8pm–10pm, Thursday 25 July
Space Place’s monthly Astronomy on Tap transports you from Pōneke to the depths of the universe with bespoke star talks. This event celebrates Matariki and takes a closer look at the ātaahua star cluster. Sit back and relax in our full-dome digital planetarium as we explore the night sky together.

Porirua

Check out the Porirua Matariki events on the Porirua City Council website.

Kāpiti Coast

Check out the Kāpiti Matariki events on the Kāpiti Coast District Council website.

Growing your own food is a great way to prepare for hautapu. If you don't have access to outdoor garden space, a community garden in your suburb might be an option.

Winter is the time to enjoy the fruits of your labour, and sharing your harvest with friends and whānau can be especially rewarding. It’s also a great time to plan for spring and consider what to plant.

In the past, it was a common practice to offer food from the gardens to the community hautapu ceremony as a way of showing gratitude for the gifts provided by the environment. By setting aside some of your harvest for the hautapu, you can bring back this tradition and apply it in your own whānau and community.

Puanga

Puanga (Rigel) is the herald of Matariki. It is a time to wānanga, to restore faith and hope for the future, a time for whanaungatanga, to be with others, share stories and kai, and celebrate who we are. As well as marking the beginning of a new year, it also signals other new beginnings.

Ururangi

Ururangi (Merope) is close friends with te whānau puhi (the wind family) – including Hauraro (the north wind), Tonga (the south wind), Hauāuru (the west wind), and Marangai (the east wind). He encourages us to get to know this family well, embrace its strength and prepare for any challenges it creates.

Waitī

Waitī (Maia) watches over our freshwater environments. Our awa (rivers), roto (lakes), kūkūwai (wetlands), and waipuna (springs). As the waters flow, she sees how they support us, provide for us, connect us, and sustain us. She encourages us to listen, and to learn from them.

Waipuna-ā-rangi

Waipuna-ā-rangi (Electra) welcomes the winter sky waters in all their forms – ua (rain), ua nganga (hail), and hukarere (snow). She sees how these waters contribute to the healthy cycle of our earth and the effects when they don’t arrive. Waipuna-ā-rangi encourages us to reflect about climate change, and what we can do today to lessen the problem.

Tupu-ā-nuku

Tupu-ā-nuku (Pleione) has a special interest in our edible plants. This includes the natives pūhā (sowthistle), kawakawa (pepper tree), kōkihi (NZ spinach), and tī kōuka (cabbage tree). In watching the preparations for their growth and harvest, she has come to understand the importance of healthy soil. Tupu-ā-nuku encourages us to consider more carefully what we are putting into Papatūānuku (the earth), and in what quantities.

Tupu-ā-rangi

Tupu-ā-rangi (Atlas) has long looked out for the ngahere (forests), and he is deeply concerned by the collapse he is witnessing. Our native wildlife – manu (birds) and bats, mokomoko (lizards), and ngārara (bugs) – are being ravaged by introduced pests and predators. As are our ancient rākau (trees) – like tōtara, pūriri, pōhutukawa and rātā. Tupu-ā-rangi encourages us to take action to help to bring our forests back to life again.

Hiwa-i-te-rangi/Hiwa

Hiwa-i-te-rangi/Hiwa (Celaeno) is the youngest star. She is a wishing star, who helps us to recognise our hopes, dreams and aspirations for the coming year. She encourages us to hold firm to our goals, and seek out opportunities and see them realised.

Waitā

Waitā (Taygeta) surveys our vast oceans, e Moana-nui-o-Kiwa (the Pacific Ocean) and Te Tai-o-Rehua (the Tasman Sea). Biodiversity is essential to our world. Our actions need to support it and enhance it.

Pōhutukawa

Pōhutukawa (Sterope/Asterope) holds tight to our memories of treasured people who have passed away. She encourages us to take time to remember them, and to acknowledge their impact on our lives.

Matariki

Matariki (Alcyone) Matariki is the Mother of the stars in the constellation. She gathers the people together, and connects them with our environment. She inspires us, the people, to do the same.

Hautapu or umu kohukohu whetū is a ceremony practised during Matariki Puanga. Its purpose is to make an offering to the stars. Usually, this offering consists of kai and karakia.

The hautapu consists of three phases: preparing, offering, and eating kai. Gather your whānau around the table and recite the karakia set out below, at any of the phases.

Traditionally, it was the responsibility of our tāne to ensure that the feast was top-notch. This was seen as the ultimate display of manaakitanga and aroha for loved ones. This is the perfect opportunity for our men to step into the shoes of our ancestors and show love, care and appreciation for the whānau.

Our amazing city has many stargazing vantage points to climb! We encourage you to plan ahead and set your alarm clock early to catch the Matariki cluster at dawn. It may take a few tries to see the stars so don't be disheartened if you don't spot them first time around!

James Stellin Memorial Park
In Northland on Tinakori Hill, James Stellin Memorial Park has stunning 180-degree views over the city to the harbour as well as neat night sky viewing opportunities.

Homebush Park
Located on Homebush Road in Khandallah, this hidden playground down a gravel track has breathtaking views over Wellington harbour and the wide-open skies above.

Tawatawa Reserve
A large flat dog-friendly area located on Quebec Street, between the suburbs of Owhiro Bay, Kingston, and Island Bay.

Ataturk Memorial Park
The Ataturk Memorial Park lookout can be accessed from the Tarakena Bay car park on Breaker Bay Road.

Waihinahina Park
Located on Ladbrooke Drive in Newlands, Waihinahina Park is an open-grassed area surrounded with regenerating bush – an ideal spot for stargazing Matariki on a clear night!

Karakia mō Matariki 
Manawa maiea te putanga o Matariki, 
Manawa maiea te ariki o te rangi, 
manawa maiea te mātahi o te tau, 
kia puta ki te whai ao ki te ao mārama. 

Karakia mō Puanga 
Tērā a Puanga ka rewa i te pae 
He tohu ki te ao 
Ka poroporoaki te po 
Ka mihi ki te tau hou 
Ka rewa a Puanga, kia hono ki a Matariki.