June 23, 2022
Te Papa ready for great Matariki
The halls of Te Papa Tongarewa have echoed with karakia and waiata from the early hours of this morning in a rehearsal for the first official Matariki public holiday.
Tomorrow’s pre-dawn hautapu ceremony will be a part of a five-hour broadcast carried by all major broadcasters and online at matariki.net.nz.
It will also include panel discussions and an address from Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern.
Museum kaihautu Arapata Hakiwai says the holiday affirms the mana and integrity of matauranga Māori and matauranga a iwi.
He says it will be a great day for the nation.
“I’m certain we are going to be richer as a result of it in the sense of our identity, in the sense of our relationship with the whenua, our relationship with one another. I think as a country we’re going to be stronger for it. I think it’s going to bring us together and I think it’s going to (bring) a renewed understanding and respect for our relationship with the taiao,” Dr Hakiwai says.
He expects huge demand in coming years for resources and wananga around Matariki, and Te Papa has been working with experts like Rangi Mataamua to prepare such material.