A special day of celebration is in store for people across Aotearoa with the first Matariki public holiday on tomorrow, Friday, 24 June. But the magic of Matariki doesn’t end there. Here’s a wrap-up of all the Matariki Tauranga Moana events still to enjoy until Tuesday, 19 July.
Fancy yourself a bit green-fingered and want to learn how the Maramataka (Māori lunar calendar) relates to our planting seasons here in Tauranga Moana? Book your spot in the Maramataka/Moon Phases Dial and Planting Calendar workshop on Saturday, 2 July. You’ll make your own Maramataka dial to visualize the Māori moon phases for planting and learn how to use it.
Tell your story through the traditional Māori art form of tukutuku in the Storytelling Through Tukutuku workshop on Saturday, 2 July. Tukutuku are found in Wharenui (meeting house). The walls are adorned with tukutuku panels each telling stories of our ancestors. In this workshop you will learn the basics and go home with a handout to continue creating at home.
Learn about Tauranga’s history and explore some of our off-road trails on the free Ōtūmoetai Pa Historic Bike Tour, with tour guide Reweti Te Mete. Reweti will share his vast knowledge about why our region, with its vast resources, was important and popular for both Māori and European settlement, on Saturday, 2 July.
Capture a timeless portrait of yourself or a loved one at the Timeless Portraits/Maumaharatanga sessions on Saturday, 2 July and Sunday, 3 July. Bring along your various cultural taonga or check out the beautiful range of clothing and items ready to style you on the day. The mauri and wairua of your whānau heirlooms will be encapsulated giving you the opportunity to celebrate and share these treasures for years to come.
Kick back, relax, and enjoy some kai as you watch a curated selection of Kaupapa Māori short films, feature films, documentaries, and music videos at the Matariki Cinematic Showcase. With the last two sessions on Thursday, 30 June and Thursday, 7 July at The Village Cinema, these special evenings celebrating our local Kaupapa Māori film makers are not to be missed.
Take a wander around The Incubator Creative Village and explore exhibitions that will get you thinking, admiring and sparking conversations. With exhibitions on until Sunday, 10 July, there is still plenty of time to check out these unique creative works.
Join the hunt for heavenly treasures with Tauranga Art Gallery’s Matariki Star Hunt. The perfect way to spend some time with the whānau, this fun activity is open daily from 10am – 4pm until Sunday, 3 July.
The Matariki Dish Challenge is shining a light on local ingredients and Matariki until Sunday, 17 July, with eateries across the Bay of Plenty vying to be named the 2022 Matariki Dish Challenge Champions. Discover a new eatery, or visit your tried-and-true favourite, to taste their unique Matariki dish.
Closing the Matariki Tauranga Moana programme of events with a dazzling performance is the Matariki Glow Show on Tuesday, 19 July. The show’s magical glow-in-the-dark characters will ‘edu-tain’ tamariki, educators, and whānau with music and giant-scale puppets.
Delivering a beautiful corridor of coloured light to Tauranga’s central city year-round is Sara Hughes’ new art installation ‘Midnight Sun’. The expansive, illuminated outdoor painting on Willow Street captures the final setting of the sun on the eve of the Winter Solstice.
With so many ways to celebrate, explore, and learn what Matariki means for our city and people, now’s the time to take part and create special memories with whānau and friends. To view the full programme of events, visit www.mytauranga.co.nz/matariki