Join us to celebrate the rising of the Matariki star cluster signifying the start of the Māori New Year.

From 4:30am – 7:00am our Matariki Hautapu Ceremony, led by Te Rāngai Kawa – Te Tokotoru a Manawakotokoto, who will honour ancestral traditions through a dawn ceremony that reflects on the past, embraces the present, and looks to the future across three distinct phases.

The first part, Te Tirohanga, welcomes the star cluster to the night sky, allowing the opportunity for forecasts to be made. Based on these observations, tohunga make predictions about the upcoming year.

The second part, Taki Mōteatea, is a time to honour and remember those who have passed in the last year. This moment offers their names to be called beneath the rising stars, as it is believed in some Māori tradition that their spirits become stars in the sky, which coins the known saying ‘ kua whetūrangihia’ (you’ve become stars in the sky).

The third part, Te Whāngai i Ngā Whetū, means ‘feeding the stars’. Kai (food), representing each of the four different stars associated with food is gathered and cooked in an umu, providing the steam into the sky as an offering that replenishes the stars.

The act of gathering, sharing kai, singing waiata and telling stories fosters a sense of community and collective identity. It provides an opportunity for individuals to come together, reconnect with their environment, and find solace in the company of others.

Attendance to our Hautapu Ceremony is free, but tickets are required. You can also pre-purchase a light parakuihi (breakfast) with your ticket — a lamb sausage sizzle and hot chocolate. Alternatively, our café will be open after the Hautapu Ceremony, offering cabinet food and barista-made coffee for purchase.

In Māori history, after a formal Hautapu ceremony everyone would gather to feast, play games, plan and prep for the year ahead.

Our Whānau Day on Rotowhio marae atea from 9am to 3pm, can also be booked for $5 here: https://events.humanitix.com/matariki-2025-whanau-day

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