Matariki: Wellingtonians embrace Aotearoa's new public holiday & More Trending News

Wellington’s hills grew to become an amphitheatre because the sky above Te Whanganui-a-Tara lit up with fireworks as Matariki was recognised formally for the primary time.

Crowds packed the water’s edge for the show on Friday night following a day of festivities for the Māori New Year, which has turn into Aotearoa New Zealand’s first indigenous public holiday.

The fireworks present went forward regardless of Māori astronomers earlier this month warning the Government fireworks have been an inappropriate strategy to have a good time Matariki, however the recommendation fell on deaf ears when it got here to many native authorities.

Wellington City Council’s fireworks present price $190,000.

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The waterfront additionally noticed celebrations earlier within the day as crowds gathered in entrance of Te Papa Tongarewa in Te-Whanganui-a-Tara earlier than daybreak for the hautapu ceremony, the place the steam from cooked kai made their strategy to the sky to nourish the atua (gods) above.

Te Papa’s new interactive exhibition about Matariki was continuous within the day, as households flocked out and in with their tamariki, whereas individuals of various ages and ethnicities gathered in entrance of reveals in regards to the star cluster that marks the Māori New Year and what it means.

The Darnbrooke household not too long ago moved from Wolverhampton within the UK to the Kāpiti Coast. Parents David and Maud, who’re each social staff, spent the day on the museum with their daughters, Isabella, 8, Elena, 7, and Ana, 6, to be taught extra about te ao Māori.

Maud Darnbrooke stated the new public holiday gave them a base to know extra, and it’s “refreshing” to see it as an individual of African-Caribbean descent.

“It has given us a grounding from where to start, and I think it’s opened our eyes,” she stated. “We have the carnivals and stuff like that in the UK, but a lot of people just think they’re just a type of parties. They don’t actually see the cultural significance of why we have them.”

“We find Matariki is quite good because the whole community has embraced it.”

Ana favored the exhibition as a result of there have been numerous issues, just like the waka or fishing hooks, that have been featured on her favorite movie, Moana.

84-year-old Pare Albrett was at Te Papa along with her whānau of 5, having pushed into Wellington from Masterton for the day. She by no means celebrated Matariki earlier than and by no means thought she would see it turn into a holiday, however she’s having fun with to see all of the issues taking place.

“This is really great. I’m having fun.”

Sue Leese is from Hawkes’ Bay and admitted she knew nothing about Matariki earlier than it was arrange as a public holiday, however it’s one thing she’s being studying about throughout the previous few months.

“I think it’s a lovely way of centring it [as] the beginning of the new year was the new year that we normally have has lost with Christmas – it doesn’t sort of have that significance for me,” she stated.

“There are some people who are still a bit skeptical of having another public holiday but I’m very proud to be part of it today in Wellington.”

In Porirua, about 1300 individuals handed by means of Te Rauparaha Arena to see the Interactive Night Sky Experience. Produced in partnership by Porirua City Council and Ngati Toa, the occasion includes a 270 diploma display screen on which the story of Matariki.

Broken up by a interval for teenagers and households to play with interactive shows, the second a part of the present featured Ngāti Toa kaumātua. They talked about how Matariki was as soon as a part of on a regular basis life – how they and their whanau would fish and backyard by the moon and stars, and their hopes for the way it might turn into extra related to New Zealanders once more.

Frank Hopfler of Newlands introduced his visiting household from Whakatane to the expertise and was happy he did.

“I knew a little bit [about Matariki], but this was really good – understanding its connection to this land, the relationship people in Wellington and Porirua have to it.”

Helen Brookes the council’s occasions supervisor stated Porirua had celebrated Matariki for fairly just a few years, and town’s 10-days of festivities as a continuation of that.

She stated New Zealand’s tradition and historical past had not at all times been treasured in the best way it deserved, and was happy Matariki was being formally recognised.

Earlier within the day on the formal opening at Te Papa, Māori educational Sir Pou Temara, thought of an authority on whakapapa and karakia, stated that Matariki is a time to honour our ancestors, to look to the longer term and “dream about a brighter tomorrow for all of us who call this country home”.

He additionally stated weaving the ideas of Matariki into New Zealand’s tradition mirrored “who we are as a people”.

In her speech after the hautapu ceremony that marked the primary public Matariki holiday, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern stated Matariki supplied New Zealanders “a space where there is room for us all”, and the public holiday mustn’t divide us by Māori ancestry however reasonably “unites us under the stars of Aotearoa”.

“It demonstrates the generosity of the indigenous people of New Zealand, to share knowledge, culture and history,” she stated.

Te Papa additionally holds different free programmes all through subsequent week to have a good time the primary Matariki public holiday, together with guided excursions, concert events, wānanga, and a particular lunch menu at its cafe.

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