Mānawatia a Matariki.
As we head into our second year of marking Matariki with a public holiday, it’s great to see and hear about the different ways we are celebrating te Mātahi o te Tau, the Māori New Year.
Some of us have grown up with Matariki purakau and traditions that call us to pause, to remember our ancestors, celebrate the present, and make plans for the future.
For some of us, Matariki is quite new.
As someone who’s in that latter camp, Matariki feels like such a gift in these dark depths of winter, and especially this year it’s got to be said! I love it that the kōrero around Matariki says absolutely nothing about shopping (except perhaps for some ingredients for our Matariki feast), instead we are encouraged to bundle up and attune our eyes to the early morning skies to search out the constellation for ourselves…
We’re learning that this is a time to pause, to reflect, to celebrate the here and now, and who we’re with, and cast our own intentions for the next year… all practices that feel not only appropriate, but especially potent in these months of hibernation.
Thanks to all of you who have been asking, we’ve had our feelers out and have gathered together some of the things going on around the rohe celebrating Matariki here in Te Tairāwhiti this year.
On Friday 14 you can head out to Eastwoodhill Arboretum for ‘Houpapa, an Indigenous Sculpture Symposium’. This is a kaupapa driven by Te Whānau a Kai, Eastwoodhill and Toihoukura. Nine local artists and one international artist are carving pou from trees that have fallen on the land. The Arboretum is open 8:30am - 4:30pm. Entry is free and from 1.30 - 3.30pm there are also Artist Talks, Matariki Presentation and a Botanical Mono-printing Workshop. A sausage sizzle is also available.
‘Tātaitia Rā - Matariki Festival’ is going on in Uawa, from 11am-2pm. A celebration where good music, good kai and good company come together as a family-friendly event for all ages. Pack up the van and head to Uawa! Get ready for some great music including Chad Chambers, The Tuari Brothers and Three Houses Down.
Te Runanga o Turanganui A Kiwa and E Tu Whānau are holding ‘Mānawaitia Matariki - Matariki for our Rangatahi’ at Marina Park tomorrow, Friday 14 July, 1-5pm with a silent disco, food vendors and games.
And for something a little bit different, 98 Cents are holding dance workshops at Musical Theatre Gisborne,101 Innes St, tomorrow, Friday July 14. Check out the timetable for different age groups.
For all local event information head to the Gizzy Local Events Calendar here.