Matariki Mahuika 2024: We've Seen Fire And We've Seen Rain

After a shocking week of rain, the Hawke's Bay coast was lit up with hundreds of Matariki beach bonfires on Saturday.

Thousands of people embraced the Bay's new tradition of DIY beach fires and heeded Matariki Mahuika organisers' calls to “take your mates, your mokos and your marshmallows” and enjoy the night.

Ironically, a tradition which began in 2023 in part as a response to driftwood piled up by Cyclone Gabrielle, this week's storm again deposited wood on what would otherwise have been a Marine Parade bare of fuel.

“I think one of the things that explains the huge appeal of this free event is that it works on a high trust model,” said co-organiser Neill Gordon.

“We know that Kiwis know how to light a fire, look after each other and look after the beach and they demonstrated that again on Saturday night in huge numbers.

“It obviously raises eyebrows with officialdom when you propose randoms lighting fires for 200 kilometres but look at the result – not a single call to the fire service and a king tide of happy whanau.

It was hard to think of other events that appeal to toddlers as much as teenagers and in fact everyone up to great-grandparents in their 90s was on the beach, Neill said.

“Multiple groups told us last night they had travelled from other parts of the country specifically to take part in Matariki Mahuika, which is named for the Goddess of Fire.”

Co-organiser Te Rangi Huata, Ngāti Kahungunu Iwi Inc's events manager, said the love for Matariki Mahuika reverberated all year and next year's would be on Saturday June 21.

People were also invited to take part in a waka maimai aroha (lantern) procession, which involved writing a message of remembrance, reflection or gratitude on a lantern and launching into the Manga Pacific – Te Toka Tu Moana fountain at the National Aquarium. Demand for lanterns exceeded expectations with 200 decorated with messages of love for the departed and dreams for the future.

The event also served as an impromptu beach clean-up, with people spontaneously bagging up plastic rubbish and other detritus and taking it away with them.

Hawke's Bay Regional Council's air quality recorders show the event had minimal impact on air quality.

For a short while the wind was blowing onshore but for most of the night there was a perfect, light offshore breeze.

Neill Gordon said people nationwide had been invited to join in and share the warmth of Matariki Mahuika. Some communities around the country had celebrated Matariki with very large community beach bonfires but "our fires were whanau-friendly, generally smaller than a beer crate".

“With a big fire, people have to keep 20 feet back, whereas we reckon it's nicer to cosy in, warm your toes and toast your marshmallows.”

“Sharing the warmth is the heart of Matariki Mahuika and experiencing it in action is quite something. To see a whole community of strangers, helping each other light fires, share kai, talking and laughing together amplifies what the fires do – which is warm the soul.”

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