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Celebrations continue for the final week of Matariki Festival 2007

Matariki Festival 2007 celebrations are still alive and well in Auckland with the final week of events taking place at various locations across the region to celebrate the Maori New Year (Te Tau Hou).

The month-long festival, now in its seventh year, kicked off on 15 June and featured a series of events and activities providing Aucklanders with opportunities to learn about Matariki, its relevance to Maori culture, and ways to celebrate this tradition as part of contemporary city life.

Matariki Festival 2007 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 there's been an impressive turnout to events so far, but the festivities aren't over yet.

"There's an exciting line-up of celebrations and events in the final week of Matariki Festival 2007, from exhibitions to cultural performances, hangi and school holiday fun for the kids," says Mr Bradshaw.

"We've really seen the festival gain popularity and acceptance over the years, not only with Maori, but with all New Zealanders who see Matariki as an important and unique celebration in Aotearoa.

"The programme offers 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," he says.

Some Matariki Festival highlights for the final week of celebrations include:

* Matariki school holiday programme at Stardome > Until Friday 13 July at the Stardome Observatory and Planetarium at 10am and 1pm. Live presentation in the planetarium exploring the stories surrounding the star cluster Matariki. Bookings essential.

* Rauru - Performance Café and exhibition opening night > Friday, 13 July at Te Karanga, 208 Karangahape Road from 7pm. Performances and exhibitions of work inspired by Matariki.

* Outdoor hangi evening > Saturday, 14 July at the Uxbridge Centre in Howick. Sharing of kai, musical instruments, performance by Riverina School Maori culture group, and talk on the stars. Bring a blanket.

* Matariki finale at the Auckland War Memorial Museum > Sunday, 15 July at the Auckland War Memorial Musuem. An afternoon of waiata and cultural performance in the museum's Maori Court.

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

ENDS

Notes to the editor:
History of Matariki

The pre-dawn rising of the star cluster Matariki is significant to Maori and is referred to as 'Te Tau Hou', the new year. Matariki was traditionally a time to connect Maori to land and seafood harvesting, way-finding, and weather patterns. During mid-winter, people would also traditionally gather to farewell the dead, acknowledge the past year's activities and then greet the new-born and focus on the years ahead.

Matariki was a time when people would gather to share kai, rituals, entertainment, hospitality and learnings. In more recent times, it has become a special time of the year to respect the land we live on, celebrate the unique place we live in and continue to share and grow with each other.

The star cluster is a navigational aid and is a potent indicator of other upcoming seasons. If the stars were clear it was a sign that the year ahead would be warm and therefore productive. If they were hazy and closely bunched together then a cold year would be in store.

For some Maori the first new moon after the rise of Matariki signalled the start of the New Year celebrations. The Moon (Marama) is central to activities of harvesting kai on the land and at sea. Most iwi throughout Aotearoa have their own perspective and knowledge about Matariki. It is the start for all things new and a time for the provision of kai.

Matariki is the Maori name for the Pleiades, a star cluster in the constellation Taurus. Pleiades, the Greek name for the cluster, comes from seven sisters of Greek legend, the daughters of Atlas and Pleone. This is reminiscent of the Maori and Pacific stories that say Matariki is a mother surrounded by her six daughters.

The galactic cluster is internationally recognised as it can be viewed from anywhere in the world. In Greece several major temples face straight towards Matariki as does Stonehenge in England. The car brand Subaru also takes its name from the Japanese name for the stars.

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