Exhibition celebrates Maramataka

Rainfall Figures May 2023

Maramataka Matariki 2023-2024 celebrates this year’s Māori lunar calendar, the Maramataka. A collection of contemporary original prints contributing to the calendar and depicting Matariki are currently on show at Art Vault Tākaka until the weekend of Matariki, 15 July 2023.

The calendar has been printed as a fundraiser to honour the kaupapa (idea) of Te Ataarangi, a community-based programme that has fostered te Reo Māori language revitalisation programmes across the region. Now, for the first time, these works can be also viewed in the context of an art exhibition.

Led by artists Robin Slow and Mat Tait, a group of around 10 creative individuals collaborated in a community workshop at Onetahua Marae. Together they created monoprints and linocuts to produce backgrounds and details for a collection of works that were then taken to production standard by Robin and Matt, becoming the basis of both calendar and exhibition.

Last year’s calendar featured 12 works solely by Robin Slow, while this year it is a community collaboration. There is also a change in the layout of months, showing 13 months rather than 12, which reflects a deeper understanding of how Te Maramataka Māori was traditionally viewed. While focused on the Māori lunar calendar, it still includes the Roman solar calendar and is written in both Māori and English. Last year the calendars were sold online; this year the exhibition of original artworks is already adding to the fundraising effort.

Te Ataarangi is designed for adult Māori language learning. Developed in the late 1970s, for over 40 years it has taught te Reo programmes to thousands of people from all walks of life and has provided many tutor training programmes, to ensure the language survives and thrives. Interwoven into tikanga Māori are the principals of good human values, so that those learning together become a group mutually respectful of each other’s needs. Through Te Ataarangi, tutors add a valuable contribution to the revitalisation of the Māori language. The Maramataka project meets the kaupapa for Te Ataarangi, part of which is to encourage activities in local places where whānau, hapu, iwi, and community can gather together to learn.

Gallery owner Grant Knowles is thrilled to be hosting Te Maramataka Matariki.

“We are truly honoured to work with this group because this is what community is all about.”

Maramataka Matariki Exhibition, Art Vault, 57 Commercial Street, Tākaka. Wednesday to Friday, 11am – 3pm; Saturday 10am – 2pm; closed Sunday – Tuesday. For more visit www. tereomaori.org, or email maramataka@tereomaori.org

Rainfall Raindays Heaviest fall

PŌhara 326mm 18 109mm on the 5th

YTD 835mm with 48 rain days

Rototai 342mm 19 100mm on the 5th

The second wettest May since 2004

Te Hapu 356mm 21 92mm on the 5th

Kaihoka 395mm 21 108mm on the 5th

I have been keeping rain records since the end of 1983 and the only other time we have reached over 300mm rain for the month of May was in 2004 when 333mm was recorded.

Glenview Rd 389mm 20 108mm on the 5th

Onekaka 453mm 20 103mm on the 6th

YTD 1235mm - 221% above average

Puramahoi 499mm - -

Rockville 542mm 17 140mm on the 6th

Collingwood 547mm 23 94mm on the 5th

Hamama 641mm 20 180mm on the 5th

The first fall of snow was sighted on the 10th

Bainham 739mm 21 256mm on the 5th