Te Kaunihera o Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland Council and iwi partner Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei are pleased to announce the return of Matariki Festival for 2023 in July (11 – 22 July).

The 11-day festival has been designed around the Maramataka (the Māori calendar) to ensure that the kaupapa (purpose) of the season remains the focus.

Matariki Festival offers a programme for Aucklanders and visitors of all ages to be entertained, and learn more about the world of te ao Māori across over 100 events and activities taking place throughout Tāmaki Makaurau.

Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown is excited for all to attend.

“We are proud to partner with Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei to present Matariki Festival,” he says.

“This year, there are many free, whānau-friendly events where our communities can come together to reflect on and celebrate the Māori New Year, especially Umu Kohukohu Whetū which I will be attending.”

Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei chair Marama Royal says Matariki is an important time in the Maramataka (Māori calendar) and after the success of last year’s first public holiday, she is looking forward to seeing Aucklanders honouring the kaupapa (purpose) once again.

“Matariki is a time of coming together. It is a time of reflection, honouring loved ones who have passed on and to prepare for the year ahead.

“As tangata whenua of central Auckland, it was exciting last year to see our city really embrace Matariki, like never before. It was incredible to see so many people come together on our whenua Takaparawhau for the resurgence of the ancient practice of umu kohukohu whetū. We are looking forward to hosting this kaupapa once again to ensure that Matariki across our city is grounded in tikanga Māori.

“Hikaia ngā ahi o Matariki

“Hikaia ngā ahi o Te Kahu Tōpuni o Tuperiri”

Marama encourages Aucklanders to explore different ways to participate in Matariki once again.

“There are many ways to pause and reflect with loved ones this Matariki season, including a pourewa / planting day at Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei’s whenua Takaparawhau on 22 July to give back to Papatūānuku, who sustains us throughout the year.”

Matariki Festival also provides an opportunity for Aucklanders and visitors to learn more. Consider attending the Umu Kohukohu Whetū to observe traditional practices that begins the Matariki period; learn the ahi kā / story of Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei with spectacular light and sound show with Vector Lights; and don’t miss Matariki Festival Day where you can think deeper through toi Māori and performances, seen with new eyes and with new understanding.

Matariki Festival officially opens on 11 July with a special light and sound show with Vector Lights. Vector Lights and Matariki Festival are honoured to showcase iwi partners, Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei with their story of ahi kā in Tāmaki Makaurau that is grounded in tikanga and taonga tuku of Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei. The event begins at 5.30pm at Silo Park with Vector Lights switching on at 6pm and a special performance from Majic Paora (Ngāti Whātua, Te Aupōuri, Ngā Puhi) with her Matariki waiata.

This year’s Matariki Festival will have over 100 events across Tāmaki Makaurau but will be held up by three pou (signature) events.

Umu Kohukohu Whetū (14 July) is a pre-dawn ceremony led by Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei on their whenua Takaparawhau / Bastion Point. Come along and witness a Hau Tapu ceremony (sacred offering ceremony) – the offering of food and steam to the stars of Matariki from the umu or hāngī – and take part in the karakia that fill the morning skies as we come together to celebrate Matariki. The Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei Umu Kohukohu Whetū will take place at Takaparawhau / Bastion Point, from 5-9am.

Matariki Festival Day (14 July), hosted by our venue partners Auckland Live, is set to take over the Auckland Town Hall! Celebrate Matariki through pūrākau (stories) with the Sandman, kai (food) with Mamas Hāngī, kōrerorero (discussions) with our panel interviews, toi Māori (art) with tawhiao7 and My Taiao, whare tapere (performance) from NZ Dance Company, kapa haka with Ngā Puna o Waiorea, and a soulful waiata session from Jordyn with a Why.

Join us for a full afternoon of joy, remembrance and celebration from 12-6pm in Auckland Town Hall.

Manu Aute Kite Day (15 July) is a favourite with whānau. Manu aute and manu tukutuku (kites) were used to celebrate special occasions, send messages to the heavens and communicate between hapū. Manu Aute Kite Day honours these traditions with kites of all shapes and sizes filling the skies above Tāmaki Makaurau. Join in to make and fly your own manu tukutuku or bring your own kite to send up to the sky. This year’s event is once again held at Takaparawhau / Bastion Point Ōrākei.

E koa ana a Te Kaunihera o Tāmaki Makaurau me ngā hoa patui ā-iwi, me Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei, ki te pānui i te tūnga anō o te Taiopenga mō Matariki i te tau 2023, ā te marama o Hūrae (hei te 11 – 22 o Hūrae). 

He mea hoahoa te taiopenga, tekau mā tahi rā nei te roa, kia hāngai ki te maramataka Māori e noho tonu ai te kaupapa o te tau hei arotahitanga. 

He hōtaka ka whakaritea i te Taiopenga mō Matariki mā ngā tāngata o Tāmaki Makaurau me ngā manuhiri, ahakoa te pakeke, kia ngahau ai, kia whai akoranga ai hoki te tangata e pā ana ki te ao Māori i ngā kaupapa me ngā ngohe, kua neke atu i te kotahi rau te maha, e tū ana huri noa i Tāmaki Makaurau. 

E hīkaka ana te kahika o Tāmaki Makaurau, a Wayne Brown, kia tae mai te katoa.

E koa ana mātou ki te noho hei hoa patui me Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei ki te whakatū i te Taiopenga mō Matariki,” hei tāna.

“I tēnei tau, he maha ngā kaupapa utu kore e hāngai ana ki ngā whānau e pai ai te noho kotahi a ō tātou hapori ki te huritao, ki te whakanui hoki i te tau hou Māori, otiia, i te umu kohukohu whetū, e whai wāhi ai au.”

Hei tā te kaihautū o Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei, hei tā Marama Royal, he wā whakahirahira a Matariki i te maramataka Māori, ā, nā te angitu o te tuatahi o ngā hararei tūmatanui o tērā tau, e rikarika ana ia ki te kite i ngā tāngata o Tāmaki Makaurau e whakanui ana anō i te kaupapa.

“Ko Matariki tētahi wā e kotahi ai tātou. He wā kia huritao, kia whakanui hoki i te hunga kaingākau kua riro, kia whakarite hoki i te tau kei mua i te aroaro.

“I tērā tau, ka hiamo mātou, te tangata whenua o te pokapū o Tāmaki Makaurau, i te kitenga o te manaaki a tō tātou tāone nui i te kaupapa o Matariki, kāore rā i kitea i mua atu. Whakamīharo ana te kitea o tērā tokomaha o te tangata ka tōpū mai i runga i tō mātou whenua o Takaparawhau mō te whakarauoratanga anō o te tikanga tāukiuki, o te umu kohukohu whetū, te take. E pūnganangana ana mātou ki te hāpai anō i tēnei kaupapa kia whakaūngia ai te pūmautanga o Matariki i runga i ngā tikanga Māori huri noa i tō tātou tāone nui.

“Hikaia ngā ahi o Matariki

“Hikaia ngā ahi o Te Kahu Tōpuni o Tuperiri”

E akiaki ana a Marama i ngā tāngata o Tāmaki Makaurau kia puta ki te tūhura i ngā momo huarahi e whai wāhi anō ai rātou ki a Matariki.

“He maha tonu ngā huarahi e whakamatua ai, e huritao ai hoki te tangata i te taha o ana kaingākautanga, pēnei i te whakatū pourewa ki te whenua o Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei, ki Takaparawhau, ā te 22 o Hūrae, ki te whakahoki koha ki a Papatūānuku, e whakaora nei i a tātou i te roanga o te tau.”

Ko te Taiopenga o Matariki hoki tētahi ara wātea e whai akoranga anō ai ngā tāngata o Tāmaki Makaurau me ngā manuhiri. Whakaarohia te haere ki te umu kohukohu whetū ki te mātakitaki i ngā tikanga tāukiuki, mā reira e tīmata ai te wā ki a Matariki; ākona ngā kōrero mō te ahi kā, mō Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei, mā te whakaaturanga whakamīharo ā-rama, ā-oro, mā Vector Lights; ā, kei wareware te Rā o te Taiopenga mō Matariki, e hōhonu ake ai ō whakaaro mā te hou o te mātakitaki i ngā toi Māori me ngā momo whakaaturanga i runga i te mōhiotanga hou.

Ka ōkawa te whakatuwheratanga o te Taiopenga o Matariki ā te 11 o Hūrae mā tētahi whakaaturanga whakahirahira ā- rama, ā-oro, mā Vector Lights. Nō Vector Lights me te Taiopenga o Matariki te hōnore ki te whakatairanga i ngā hoa patui ā-iwi, i a Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei, me ā rātou kōrero mō te ahi kā ki Tāmaki Makaurau, i ahu mai rā i ngā tikanga me ngā taonga tuku iho a Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei. Ka tīmata te kaupapa ā te 5.30 karaka i te pō ki te Papa Rēhia o Silo, ā, ka mura ngā rama o Vector Lights hei te 6 karaka i te pō, ka mutu, ka kitea hoki te tū whakahirahira a Majic Paora (nō Ngāti Whātua, nō Te Aupōuri, nō Ngā Puhi hoki) e kawe ana i tana waiata mō Matariki.

I te Taiopenga mō Matariki o tēnei tau, ka neke atu i te 100 ngā kaupapa e tū ana huri noa i Tāmaki Makaurau, engari e toru ngā pou ka toko ake i ngā kaupapa o te taiopenga.

Ko te Umu Kohukohu Whetū (hei te 14 o Hūrae) tētahi tikanga o te ata hāpara e arahina ana e Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei i tōna anō whenua, i Takaparawhau. Nau mai, kia kite ai koe i te hautapu – te whāngai i te hau tapu o te kai o te umu, o te hāngī rānei, ki ngā whetū o te kāhui o Matariki – ka whai wāhi ai ki ngā karakia e haruru ai ngā rangi o te ata, i a tātou e whakakotahi ana ki te whakanui i a Matariki. Ka tū te umu kohukohu whetū a Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei ki Takaparawhau ā te 5 ki te 9 karaka i te ata.

Ko Te Rā o te Taiopenga mō Matariki (hei te 14 o Hūrae) ka horapa i te Hōro ā-Tāone o Tāmaki Makaurau, e manaakitia nei e ō mātou hoa patui ā-whaitua, e Auckland Live! Whakanuia a Matariki mā ngā pūrākau a Sandman, mā ngā kai a Mamas Hāngī, mā te kōrerorero me ā mātou kāhui uiui, mā te toi Māori i te taha o tawhiao7 me My Taiao, mā ngā mahi o te whare tapere nā NZ Dance Company, mā te kapa haka o Ngā Puna o Waiōrea, mā te whakarongo hoki i te wāhanga waiata whakakōmanawa a Jordyn with a Why. Hono mai kia rangona ai te koa, te whakamaharatanga, te whakanui hoki i te roanga o te ahiahi atu i te 12 karaka i te ahiahi ki te 6 karaka i te pō, i te Hōro Nui me Te Papa Tū Wātea, i Te Pokapū o Tāmaki Makaurau.

Ko te Rā mō ngā Manu Aute (hei te 15 o Hūrae) tētahi o ngā tino kaupapa ki ngā whānau. He mea tuku kia rere ngā manu aute me ngā manu tukutuku e ngā iwi maha puta noa i Aotearoa hei kaupapa whakanui i ngā hui whakahirahira, hei karere hoki ki ngā rangi, hei huarahi whakawhiti kōrero hoki ki waenga i ngā hapū. E whakamānawa ana a Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei i ēnei tikanga mā te Rā mō ngā Manu Aute, mā te tuku manu aute me ōna momo hanga, me ōna momo rahi, kia kapi ai te rangi o runga ake o Tāmaki Makaurau. Hono mai ki te waihanga, ki te tuku hoki i tāu ake manu tukutuku kia rere, haria mai rānei tāu ake manu aute hei tuku māu ki te rangi. Ka whakatūria anō te kaupapa nei ki Takaparawhau i tēnei tau.

Mātakitakina ngā miramiratanga o te wiki tuatahi me te wiki tuarua i konei, ka tirohia ai hoki te matarikifestival.org.nz e kitea ai te rārangi o ngā kaupapa i te roanga o te taiopenga. Rapua ngā kaupapa o te Taiopenga mō Matariki kei tō takiwā mā te whai i te mahere pāhekoheko kei Our Auckland.