Manawātia a Matariki!

As a celebrant, I am constantly learning and reflecting on different ways to incorporate relevant cultural traditions into my work. This year I have had a focus on learning Te Reo and understanding better te ao Māori - the Māori worldview. And since Matariki became a public holiday in 2024 I have increased my kete of knowledge so much about the traditions associated with this time. In this post, I share some ways you can celebrate this special Aotearoa public holiday.

This year (2026), the theme is "Matariki for everyone”, so in the spirit of sharing some ideas to help us all celebrate the new year together, here are three whakatauki (proverbs) that help explain aspects of Matariki traditions:

Remember those who have passed

Ko Matariki te kaitō i te hunga pakeke ki te pō
Matariki draws the elders into the endless night

Pohutukawa is the star of remembrance in Matariki. This is a time when you can remember by sharing stories and memories of loved ones who passed in the last year. Speak their names and think of them as you look to the stars.

Celebrate with whānau and friends

Kua tau ngā purapura a Matariki ki te whenua, kua huihui ngā iwi i te pūmahana o te kotahitanga me te aroha
The frost and snow of Matariki is upon the land, and the people have converged in unity and love

Celebrate Matariki and give thanks for what we have by joining with your family and friends. You could invite them for a meal, to share kai from the stars that represent the different places where we can find food:

Waitī - freshwater - eel, watercress, freshwater fish
Waitā - the ocean - shellfish or ocean fish
Tupuānuku - the ground - kumara and other root vegetables
Tupuārangi - the air - birds (e.g. chicken) and fruits that grow in trees

Dream of the future

Ka mahuta a Matariki i te pae, ka mahuta ō tātou tūmanako ki te tau
When Matariki rises above the horizon, our aspirations rise to the year ahead

Within the Matariki cluster there is a wishing star - Hiwa-i-te-rangi. She helps us to focus on our dreams for a better future. What wishes, goals or dreams do you have for the coming year? You could write these in a journal, or simply talk about them with your family and friends.

Something I have observed in my time as a celebrant is how we draw on different traditions, blending them with new ideas and values to create new traditions of our own. This is something I do often, as I meet with people and find out what makes meaning for them in the context of ceremony.

However, in our day-to-day lives, we often don’t take time out to reflect and process our thoughts, feelings and dreams. For me, learning more about Matariki has been an opportunity to think about my practice as a celebrant, and how I can weave different cultural practices into a ceremony. This helps me to learn and grow, and also helps those I work with, because I have more resources and knowledge to guide the process of creating meaningful ceremonies.

This Matariki I encourage you to enjoy the public holiday, by remembering, celebrating with those you love, and making some wishes for the future.