This article was first published on RNZ.
Auckland’s Matariki Festival will invite visitors to paddle waka and experience kapa haka, as the city celebrates the Māori lunar new year.
The festival will run from 7 June to 13 July and decorate central Auckland with murals, sculptures and neon lights.
The month-long celebration will also host dozens of free events across the city.
“The theme for this year’s festival is all based around the water... You’re going to see an array of events across Tāmaki that will have that theme based around the water,” Auckland Council Māori culture and identity programme lead Melz Huata-Lucas said.
“We will be having events across the city where family can get involved and really feel the essence of Matariki, but the thing is it’s going to be a little bit cold around that time so I’d suggest everyone to rug up nice and warm but definitely get out to as many free events as possible.”
The first tent-pole event would be an exhibition hosted by iwi partner Ngaati Tamaoho at the Sir Edmund Hillary Library and Papakura Museum on 14 June.
“On the 14th there’ll be an exhibition held showcasing Ngaati Tamaoho who is our iwi partner, they have weavers and carvers and artists that will be showcasing a lot of their work that they have been working towards for this year’s team,” Huata-Lucas said.
“But also for our hapori, for our community, to get to know who the iwi are and their stories.”
The next day, Aucklanders and visitors would be invited to try paddling a double hull waka.
“With the theme of water, we have an intimate event with Ngaati Tamaoho showcasing the waka hourua... They will have that experience of jumping on the waka, learning how to paddle and navigate via the stars,” she said.
“I’ll be looking forward to getting along to that experience myself, that will definitely be a highlight for anyone participating.”
The main event on the Friday 20 June, the Matariki public holiday, would be a day-long festival at the Auckland Botanic Gardens in Manurewa with activities like kapa haka, kite making and carving demonstrations.
“We have free entertainment, we’ve got kai there, and from my recollection from last year the feedback we had was the community loved it. We’re hoping the weather will be on our side so the community can get involved,” Huata-Lucas said.
Huata-Lucas said that just scratched the surface, estimating the 2025 programme would include about a hundred events throughout the city including workshops, exhibitions and more.
By RNZ.
