Mānawatia a Matariki is the Māori phrase for “Happy Matariki”. The word mānawatia means to honor, welcome, or celebrate, while Matariki is the Māori name for the Pleiades star cluster, whose rise in midwinter marks the start of the Māori New Year (Te Mātahi o te Tau).
This signals a time to remember those who have passed, celebrate the present and plan for the future. It’s a time to spend with whānau and friends, to enjoy kai (food), waiata (song), tākaro (games) and haka.
A huge mihi to the brilliant Te Uru Karaka Newton Central School and the rangatahi of the Te Aka Pūkāea kapa haka and their kaiako, Erina Henare-Aperahama, for their kapa haka and waiata performance to celebrate Matariki at Te Rimutahi in July. Ka rawe!
Te Aka Pūkāea students from Te Uru Karaka Newton Central School performing at Te Rimutahi for Matariki 2026. Photo Jennifer Ward
It was a joy to experience their captivating performance, and Te Rimutahi was bathed in the magic they created.
Te Aka Pūkāea is the Māori immersion pathway at Te Uru Karaka Newton Central School. The children in Te Aka Pūkāea gain a wider bilingual understanding of the world through te reo Māori and tikanga Māori.
The resurgence of Matariki now extends to community celebrations throughout New Zealand, providing a deeper understanding of Māori culture, history, and traditions. Through learning about Matariki, we all appreciate and develop a stronger sense of identity and belonging, as we did at the 2 – 4 July celebrations at Te Rimutahi.
Mānawatia a Matariki is not only a time of reflection and celebration but also a reminder of the interconnectedness between ourselves and the natural world. The celebration of Matariki often includes activities focused on environmental awareness and sustainability. Planting native trees, cleaning up rivers, and learning about traditional Māori practices of land and resource stewardship. Matariki fosters this sense of responsibility towards the environment.
Ngā mihi to Te Uru Karaka Newton Central School students and to @boopsiemaran & the PBA @iloveponsonby for their support for the celebration of Matariki, the rising of the Pleiades star cluster at Te Rimutahi this year.
And – if you would like to experience more, diarise the Te Uru Karaka Newton Central School production, “Let Love Guide Us, Mā te Aroha Tātou e Ārahi” on 24 September. Tickets are available at Humanitix – https://events.humanitix.com/te-uru-karaka-newton-central-school-production. This year the production’s theme is Aroha, and it was created from scratch by the children and staff. Ka rawe!
For more information or to contact the Community-Led Design Group, see our website 254ponsonbyrd.org.nz – Instagram te_rimutahi_ – Facebook Te Rimutahi or 254 Ponsonby Road.
Jennifer Ward
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