In Ōtepoti Dunedin we usually celebrate the Māori New Year through a diverse citywide programme of community events. In a normal year, communities will gather to celebrate the season at shared feasts, fun and educational programmes, and through a wide range of Mātauraka Māori and Toi Māori events.
But this is not a normal year…
Keeping our hāpori safe from COVID-19 is our number one priority.
For this reason, the rāhui will extend to the Festival.
This year, the Dunedin Puaka Matariki Festival will not be delivered kanohi ki te kanohi.
Instead, as some other communities are also choosing to do, knowledge will be shared and our community will come together virtually, through this website and other online and broadcast media.
This year, the Dunedin Puaka Matariki Festival will be celebrated online from Monday 13 July to Monday 20 July.
This differs from recently published dates, and follows tohunga kōkōrangi Rangi Matamua’s maramataka of the tika lunar phase to celebrate the rising of the Matariki star cluster. *
* Matamua, R. (2017). Matariki: the star of the year. Wellington, Aotearoa New Zealand: Huia.
Meanwhile, we continue to practice tikaka hauora, and keep abreast of news of the latest developments in the fight to eliminate COVID-19 via the Ministry of Health’s website, in particular its media releases page.
Pēnā, join us in celebrating the midwinter season of wānaka (learning) and whanaukataka (community spirit).
Nau mai, tautimai – everyone is welcome!
Stay tuned here for updates 🌟
