Matariki mā Puanga embraces diversity and inclusion
Venus Rangi, HPF’s Health Promotion Lead – Māori, reflects on the significance of Matariki for everyone in Aotearoa New Zealand
E te whānau, ngā mihi o te tau hou Māori.
As the stars of Matariki rise once again in the winter sky, so too are we encouraged to celebrate remembrance, gratitude and aspirations. This season invites us to slow down, remember those who paved the way, and move into the year ahead with renewed clarity and heart.
This year’s theme -- Matariki mā Puanga -- meaning Matariki (Pleiades) and Puanga (Rigel), is an acknowledgement of the relationship between these stars. Both Matariki and Puanga rise in the eastern sky before the sun during the winter period, but some regions of the country look to Puanga instead of Matariki as the main marker of the New Year.
However, while the stars may vary in some regions the themes that underpin the ceremony and celebration are the same. We acknowledge our past, celebrate the present and look forward to a bright and prosperous future.
Since becoming a national holiday in 2022, Matariki weaves together the wisdom of the past and the voices of today. For Māori, it reawakens ancestral knowledge carried through generations. For all of us living in Aotearoa, it’s a call to deepen our connection to the land, to community, and to the maramataka that shapes our seasons and stories.
As the star Pōhutakawa rises, the star that holds memories, whānau and communities might gather to remember, honour and share kōrero about their loved ones who have passed.
Matariki gives us space to reflect and rest with purpose. Hiwa-i-te-Rangi carries our hopes for the year ahead through reflection, goal-setting, and small acts of change.
For our whānau, Matariki is a time to come together and share kai, to honour those who have passed, and to reflect on our hopes for the year ahead. Over the past year, we’ve made a conscious effort to stay connected through online kōrero, spontaneous activity days, and simply showing up for one another.
We’re also on a journey of learning and using Te Reo Māori in our everyday lives, deepening our understanding of the maramataka (Māori lunar calendar) and strengthening our relationship with Te Taiao (the natural world around us).
These learnings won’t happen overnight, but we’re committed to the haerenga. Matariki reminds us that reconnection is a process, one that takes time, aroha, and intention. For us, it’s about reclaiming and restoring our connection to Māoritanga, step by step, together.
Matariki is for everyone in Aotearoa. This time brings people together, Māori reconnecting with traditions, Pasifika celebrating shared stars or workplaces pausing to reflect.
Matariki enables us to remember what matters, our people, our stories, our planet and our collective future. We can connect to land, legacy and the light ahead.
‘Mānawatia a Matariki’
For more info about Matariki click HERE.