Te Wāhi Toi/The Arts Place exists to connect the creative community of Queenstown and Wānaka with audiences, students, teachers, spaces and each other. We are a not-for-profit organisation powered by Three Lakes Cultural Trust and inspired by local arts and culture.
Celebrating Matariki in the Queenstown Lakes District
Matariki is a special and significant time in Aotearoa New Zealand, marking the Māori New Year with the appearance of one of the brightest star clusters in the sky. Also known as Pleiades or the Seven Sisters, the Matariki constellation becomes visible in New Zealand’s early winter mornings, typically in late June or early July. This is an especially significant…
Matariki revolves around three core concepts. The first is remembrance, honouring those who have passed since the last Matariki rising. It’s a time to remember the dead, but it is also a time for celebration - coming together with loved ones to express gratitude for the present. Finally, Matariki is a time for looking to the future, embracing renewal and planning for the year ahead.
The name ‘Matariki’ is a abbreviated form of ‘Ngā Mata o te Ariki Tāwhirimatea,’ meaning ‘the eyes of the god Tāwhirimatea.’ According to Māori mythology, Tāwhirimatea, the god of wind, was so upset by his siblings separating their parents, Ranginui (the sky father) and Papatūānuku (the earth mother), that he tore out his eyes and cast them into the heavens, forming the Matariki cluster.
In New Zealand, Matariki appears low on the northeastern horizon within the Milky Way. Traditionally, this time of year is dedicated to acknowledging the dead, releasing their spirits to become stars. It also serves as a season for planting, harvesting, and hunting, with bright stars indicating a fruitful and productive period ahead.
Matariki is a time to reflect on the past year, celebrate the present, and prepare for the future. Different iwi (tribes) may celebrate Matariki at varying times, some upon the cluster's first sighting, others at the full or new moon. Additionally, the number of stars in the Matariki cluster can vary between iwi, with some recognising seven prominent stars and others nine.
In 2020, the New Zealand Government announced the establishment of Matariki as a public holiday, the first to honour te ao Māori / the Māori worldview. A Matariki Advisory Group, comprising members from various iwi, guided the government on the observance of this new holiday.
The date of the Matariki public holiday will vary each year to align with the Māori lunar calendar. This year, it will be celebrated on Friday 28 June.
Mark your diaries for creativity and community events throughout June and July at Te Atamira to celebrate Matariki! There'll be free arts, crafts and kōrero events for all, so bring your whānau and friends and join us to celebrate.
This Matariki. hear from local speakers Brian Boyle and Leslie Van Gelder. Brian Boyle is a local astrophysicist and Nobel Prize winner who is passionate about teaching others how to photograph the night sky.
Glenorchy local Leslie Van Gelder, an accomplished archaeologist, writer, and university professor, will be presenting her recent application for the Tāhuna Glenorchy Dark Sky Sanctuary.
Join us for a special Matariki preschool storytime celebrating the start of the Māori New Year with stories and craft.
Matariki Arrowtown Kā-Muriwai returns on Friday 28 June from 3:30pm - 8:30pm. With a refreshed name and committee it will be a true whānau event, with the theme of "Bringing Whānau Together" woven through performances and experiences.
Immerse yourself in the spirit of Matariki and join Kāhu Youth for this whānau-friendly event, including kapa haka performances, free activities for tamariki and rakatahi, storytelling of local Māori history and legends / purakau, a hangi, a bubble show, fire dancers, light displays and more. Celebrations are from 2pm to 6pm at the Wānaka Dinosaur Park.
Matariki is a time rich with cultural significance and community spirit, inviting everyone in Aotearoa New Zealand to participate in this vibrant celebration of life, heritage, and the promise of new beginnings.
You can learn more about the story of Matariki and the Māori New Year here.
Feature Photo Credit: Matariki Arrowtown Kā-Muriwai, Photo Credit: Still Vision
