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Christmas and New Year holidays 2025/26

Council offices will be closed from midday 24 December and will reopen on 5 January. Some Council service will have reduced hours over the holiday period. Read here for more details >

Rangitikei District Council strapline

Te Iwa o Matariki - Māori New Year

June 16, 2022

Matariki 2022 News Image

Te Iwa o Matariki - Māori New Year Is a time for celebration, growth and renewal. It’s a chance to get together and remember whānau who have passed away, share food, tell stories, sing and play music.

Here's some ideas on how you can celebrate Matariki with your whānau and friends:

  1. Take time to reflect: Take some time to remember loved ones who have passed away.
  2. Practise your te reo Māori: Say ‘happy Matariki’ in te reo Māori by saying ‘Ngā mihi o Matariki, te tau hou Māori’.
  3. Get crafty: Get the kids together and make Matariki star bunting or a kite. A special feature of Matariki celebrations is the flying of kites “as they flutter close to the stars”.
  4. Attend a local event: There are lots of Matariki festivals and celebrations happening around the country.
  5. Get cooking: Matariki is traditionally a time to get together to share kai harvested from past seasons. Cook a mid-winter feast for friends and whānau.
  6. Do some stargazing: Pop outside just before dawn and see if you can see the Matariki star cluster.
  7. Plant a garden: Use Matariki as a time to clear the winter vegetables, and prepare your vegetable garden for the new planting.
  8. Set some goals: Most of us create New Years resolutions in January, but by the time June rolls around they are long forgotten. Why not use Matariki as a time to renew your resolutions.
  9. Find out more about Matariki: Research Matariki as a family.