Friday 17th June 2022
Page 10
MATARIKI 2022 Ko Matariki kei runga, ko te tohu tēnā o te tau! Matariki signals the Māori New Year and is considered a time of celebration and renewal. Matariki begins with the rising of the Matariki star cluster, which appears mid-winter. Customarily, Matariki was celebrated by the lighting of ceremonial fires, gifts and offerings, and celebrations to farewell the dead, honour ancestors, and to celebrate the coming year. The Matariki star cluster was also used to find out how abundant the upcoming year’s harvest would be. Bright, clear stars promised a warm and successful season. However, hazy stars warned of cold weather and poor crops. Waitī is connected with all freshwater bodies and the food sources sustained by those waters. Waitī watches over freshwater environments such as awa (rivers), roto (lakes), kūkūwai (wetlands), and waipuna (springs). There are a variety of events being held locally to celebrate Matariki:
Taniwha Treasures - Waitī
Mahinga Kai with Manu
Get crafty this Matariki at your local community centre, designing/creating your very own taniwha. • Tuesday 21st June, 4—5pm, Darfield Community and Recreation Centre. • Monday 27th June, 4pm - 5pm, Glentunnel Community Centre. $2 per person. 5+ years.
Join Manu from Suburban Eatery for a celebration of Mahinga Kai. He will provide a seasonal, locally grown tasting platter for you to enjoy and will explain the story behind the produce. Connecting with the Waitī (star), who is associated with fresh water bodies and food sources that are sustained by water, he will showcase Te Waihora Pātiki (Lake Ellesmere Flounder). Be prepared to get your hands dirty as you learn how to fillet a Pātiki and roll some kūmara donuts. • Saturday 2nd July, 11am - 1pm, Darfield Recreation and Community Centre. $10 per person. 13+ years to adults. Bookings required.
Te Waihora Art Workshop Celebrate this year’s Matariki through art. Join in as people explore the work of renowned Nagãi Tahu artist and weaver Cath Brown (1933-2004) and her source of inspiration, Te Waihora (Lake Ellesmere). People will learn about Te Waihora as an important habitat for taonga and create their own artwork to take home. • Wednesday 22nd June, 3:30pm - 4:30pm, Darfield Recreation and Community Centre. 5+ years.
For bookings & further details about all the events visit: Selwyn.govt.nz/matariki
MALVERN U3A UPDATE With the new Matariki holiday being instigated this year, it was felt appropriate to have a Māori speaker to explain The Māori New Year significance and other Māori beliefs. Malvern U3A were fortunate to have Tahae Roberts from Christchurch, come to speak to the group on Friday, June 10th. Tahae started with a guiding proverb and a prayer to bless the day’s proceedings, he included English responses, followed by a short hymn. Tahae told us something of his upbringing on the North Island, his university days studying the Treaty of Waitangi and Māori Cosmology and his exploits captaining a Waka that could take 100 warriors. Matariki is the Māori name for the cluster of stars that sit at the tail of the Milky Way, that comes into view low over the north-eastern horizon which heralds the Māori New Year, and gives the subtle changes of the seasons. Matariki is also known as the Pleiades or the seven sisters, they are to the left of Orion’s belt and are nine stars, when seen on the North Island they can be visible for eleven months of the year (weather and light pollution permitting). Matariki
is about reconnecting with your home and whanau, and the stars of the cluster each have a specific role to play. Matariki: a female Star, guardian of the other stars in the cluster that together signify wellbeing, reflection and hope. Waiti: is the star linked to fresh water and the food that comes from it. Waita: is the star linked with the sea and the food that comes from it. Tupuanuku: the star linked with foods that grow in the ground. Tupuarangi: the star that links food from the sky, fruits, berries and birds. Waipunarangi: is the star linked to the rain. Ururangi: the star that determines the wind for the year. Pohutukawa: the star that is associated with those who have died in the previous year. Hiwa i te Rangi: this is the star that gives us dreams and aspirations for the coming year. Tahae finished with a Waiata (Māori Song) accompanied on the guitar by his daughter Nick Roberts. Jacky Lawson, on behalf of Malvern U3A.
