AUCKLAND CITY COUNCIL MEDIA RELEASE

11 June 2007

Celebrating seven stars for a seventh year with Matariki Festival 07

The pre-dawn skies of Aotearoa will twinkle a little brighter this month with the rising of Matariki, marking the beginning of a new year for Maori and a month-long festival unique to our southern shores. A stellar line-up of events and activities will take place across the Auckland region from 15 June to 15 July as part of Matariki Festival 07, acknowledging and celebrating Te Tau Hou (Maori New Year).

Matariki Festival events, the majority of which have been organised by Maori, will take place at a range of venues including Artstation, North Art, Auckland Museum, Unitec’s Waitakere campus, Auckland Art Gallery, Stardome Observatory, marae and various heritage sites across Tamaki Makaurau.

The festival programme encourages social gatherings and provides public education about Matariki, its relevance to Maori culture, and ways in which we can celebrate this tradition within the context of contemporary city life. Matariki Festival is supported by Auckland City Council in collaboration with Manukau, North Shore and Waitakere city councils, Creative New Zealand and the ART Trust through the regional Maori arts development kaupapa, Toi Whenua. Auckland City Council’s community arts coordinator and regional liaison for Toi Whenua Stephen Bradshaw, says the festival, now in its seventh year, is gaining popularity and acceptance not only with Maori but with all New Zealanders who see Matariki as an important celebration in Aotearoa.

“This year, the programme provides something for everyone young and old, Maori and non-Maori to celebrate this ancient tradition through events and activities that explore Maori heritage and culture. We hope to build on these events in the coming years so Matariki Festival becomes an iconic festival for Auckland.” Some of the festival highlights for this year include:

• HEROINES OF MAUNGAWHAU Mondays 18 June to 9 July at Mt Eden, 5.30pm to 8pm Pita Turei and guest speakers lead a short hikoi and discussion profiling ancient heroines of Tamaki.

• TUHONOHONO Tuesday 19 June at the Auckland Concert Chamber, Auckland Town Hall, 8pm Tuhonohono, a group of seven musicians, some of Pakeha and some of Maori origin perform works by Gillian Karawe Whitehead, considered one of the most important composers in Australasia.

• MATARIKI BREAKFAST Saturday 23 June at the Stardome Observatory and Planetarium, 5.45am Observe the Matariki stars rising at dawn from the top of Maungakiekie / One Tree Hill, followed by a planetarium presentation and breakfast at Stardome.

• NATIVE NOISE FREE CONCERT Friday 29 June at the Auckland Town Hall, doors open at 5pm Hosted by Ngati Whatua o Orakei and sponsored by Auckland City Council, Native Noise is a celebration of leading Aotearoa musicians in the historic setting of the Auckland Town Hall. Katchafire, Open Souls, House of Shem and 1814 will feature in a full concert entertainment line-up to mark the signature event of Matariki Festival 2007. A food and clothing market will also celebrate the sights, sounds, and flavours of Matariki.

• KITE MAKING WORKSHOP - MANA TUKUTUKU Wednesday 11 July at the Uxbridge Centre in Howick, 10am to noon School holiday workshop for children where they will make kites from all over the world.

• NGATI WHATUA O ORAKEI KO TE PUKAKI WHENUA RANGATIRA PLANTING DAY AND HANGI Saturday 7 July at Orakei marae, 9.30am to 1pm This is an ecological project to reforest Bastion Point and return it to a ngahere (a pristine lush native forest) for all the community to enjoy. Proudly supported by the Orakei Reserves Board.

For the full programme for Matariki Festival 2007 go to www.matarikifestival.org.nz

ENDS

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