Matariki - Aotearoa's New Year Festival

Matariki is the Maori name for the group of stars also known as the Pleiades star cluster or The Seven Sisters; and what is referred to as the traditional Maori New Year. Matariki is a time of festivity for Māori, the tangata whenua, or first people of the land.

The Maori new year is marked by the rise of Matariki and the sighting of the next new moon. The pre-dawn rise of Matariki can be seen in the last few days of May every year and the new year is marked at the sighting of the next new moon which occurs during June. This next occurs on 21 June 2012.

Here you can find a collection of events celebrating Matariki and the Maori New Year.

Image courtesy of Filip Lolić - Wikipedia.

New Zealand

Past events

Matariki - A Celebration of New Zealand

Wairoa Community Centre, Fri 29 Jun 2012
Matariki Makariri (Cold) Waka Ama Sprints

Farndon Park Domain, Sun 24 Jun 2012
Matariki - A Celebration of New Zealand

Dannevirke Netball Centre, Fri 8 Jun 2012
Matariki Yoga Retreat: CANCELLED

Paratene Te Manu Marae, Fri 22 Jun 2012
Matariki Dawn

Stardome Observatory & Planetarium, Sat 23 Jun 2012 – Sat 30 Jun 2012
Wairoa Maori Film Festival 2012

Kahungunu Marae, Fri 1 Jun 2012 – Mon 4 Jun 2012
Whitu, Whatu, Whetu: Seven, Stitch, Stars

Depot Artspace, Sat 23 Jun 2012 – Thu 5 Jul 2012
Rangatahi Represent

Te Papa, Thu 21 Jun 2012
Capital E at Carter | Matariki Family Day

Carter Observatory, Sun 17 Jun 2012
Matariki Living Taonga Awards

Hawke's Bay Opera House, Sat 16 Jun 2012
Matariki Gala

Te Papa, Fri 8 Jun 2012
Matariki: Wananga

Auckland War Memorial Museum, Sat 23 Jun 2012 – Thu 19 Jul 2012
Pecha Kucha Night

First Church of Otago, Sat 30 Jun 2012
The Revival

Mangere Arts Centre - Ngā Tohu o Uenuku, Wed 27 Jun 2012 – Sat 30 Jun 2012
Mangere Matariki Market

Mangere Arts Centre - Ngā Tohu o Uenuku, Sat 23 Jun 2012
Puaka Matariki Festival Launch

Dunedin Public Art Gallery, Fri 15 Jun 2012
Otago Museum Matariki Activities

Otago Museum, Sat 16 Jun 2012 – Sun 17 Jun 2012
Waka Ama: Whānau Have A Go Sessions

Otago Boat Harbour, Sun 10 Jun 2012 – Sun 24 Jun 2012
Jim Williams Presentation

Brockville School, Tue 19 Jun 2012
Waitati School Matariki Lantern Parade & Harvest Feast

Waitati School, Wed 20 Jun 2012
St Leonards Matariki Lantern Parade

St Leonards Playcentre, Thu 21 Jun 2012
Ūkaipō Hui Piripono: Breast Feeding Hui

Kura Kaupapa O te Ōtepoti, Fri 22 Jun 2012
Orokonui Workshops & Kapa Haka Performances

Orokonui Ecosanctuary, Sat 23 Jun 2012
Marae Idol

Araiteuru Marae, Wed 27 Jun 2012
Te Pārekereke - Preparing The Seedbed

Otago Museum, Fri 29 Jun 2012
Orokonui Seaweed Workshop with Fleur Sullivan, Sally Carson

Orokonui Ecosanctuary, Sat 30 Jun 2012
North East Valley Community Celebration of New Growth

North East Valley Community Garden, Sat 7 Jul 2012
Orokonui Workshops & Kapa Haka Performances

Orokonui Ecosanctuary, Sat 30 Jun 2012 – Sat 7 Jul 2012
Drive-In Movie

Victoria Road Carpark, Sun 8 Jul 2012
Matariki-Oke

The PumpHouse Theatre, Fri 22 Jun 2012 – Sun 24 Jun 2012
Matariki Film Night

Corban Estate Arts Centre, Fri 13 Jul 2012
Stars of Matariki Dinner and Show

Vodafone Events Centre, Sat 23 Jun 2012
Wakapurei 2012 - Rough, Raw Ready - A Heart's Path

The Basement, Tue 26 Jun 2012
Wakapurei 2012 - Rough, Raw & Ready - Daddy's Girl

The Basement, Thu 28 Jun 2012
Wakapurei 2012 - Rough, Raw Ready - Have Car Will Travel

The Basement, Thu 28 Jun 2012
New Zealand Post Manu Aute (Kite) Day

Orakei Marae, Sat 21 Jul 2012
Matariki: Whenua

New Zealand Academy of Fine Arts, Tue 12 Jun 2012 – Sun 1 Jul 2012
Matariki 2012 Events

Rotorua Arts Village RAVE, Sat 30 Jun 2012 – Fri 27 Jul 2012
Free Kapahaka Workshops

Barnett Hall, Sat 16 Jun 2012 – Wed 20 Jun 2012
Light'n Up - Illuminated Costume Extravaganza

Barnett Hall, Sat 30 Jun 2012
Te Hono ki Aotearoa

Te Rauparaha Arena, Sun 17 Jun 2012
Artist's Forum - Matariki:Whenua

New Zealand Academy of Fine Arts, Sun 17 Jun 2012
Vital Spark

Mangere Arts Centre - Ngā Tohu o Uenuku, Sat 14 Jul 2012
Intro to Power Yoga - Hot Workshop

Abundance Yoga and Pilates, Sat 23 Jun 2012
Films on Marae

Te Piringatahi o te Maunngarongo Marae, Wed 11 Jul 2012
Matariki International

Waikato Museum, Sat 23 Jun 2012
Matariki International

Waikato Museum, Sat 7 Jul 2012
Matariki International

Waikato Museum, Sat 21 Jul 2012
Matariki Arts and Crafts for Children

Panmure Library, Wed 4 Jul 2012
Waipunarangi: Heavenly Waters of the Sky

Taupo Museum, Sat 23 Jun 2012 – Tue 31 Jul 2012

Matariki - A Celebration of New Zealand

Flaxmere Park, Fri 22 Jun 2012
Matariki - A Celebration of New Zealand

Russell Park, Fri 15 Jun 2012
Matariki Hospitality Industry Awards: SOLD OUT

Forum North, Sun 8 Jul 2012
Songs for Matariki: Featuring Haare Williams

Artstation, Tue 26 Jun 2012 – Sat 14 Jul 2012
Matariki Breakfast: CANCELLED

Stardome Observatory & Planetarium, Sat 23 Jun 2012
Te Ata Tu: The New Light

Gus Fisher Gallery, Fri 4 May 2012 – Sat 23 Jun 2012
Dunedin Midwinter Carnival 2012

The Octagon, Sat 23 Jun 2012
Seven Sisters Concert

Te Papa, Thu 7 Jun 2012
The 7th Sense

Kaan Zamaan Gallery, Sun 3 Jun 2012 – Tue 10 Jul 2012
Matariki Celebration 2012

Makaurau Marae, Thu 28 Jun 2012
Matariki: Gallery Activations

Auckland War Memorial Museum, Thu 21 Jun 2012 – Fri 20 Jul 2012
Matariki Art Market

Auckland War Memorial Museum, Sun 15 Jul 2012
Maui Magic

Mangere Arts Centre - Ngā Tohu o Uenuku, Fri 22 Jun 2012
Toioho ki Mangere

Mangere Arts Centre - Ngā Tohu o Uenuku, Sat 9 Jun 2012 – Sun 8 Jul 2012
Mata Toi

Square Edge, Sat 2 Jun 2012 – Tue 3 Jul 2012
Show me Hākinakina

Concord Kindergarten, Fri 15 Jun 2012
Richard Nunns and Skull Dubbery

Orokonui Ecosanctuary, Sat 23 Jun 2012
Dunedin Public Art Gallery Matariki Celebration

Dunedin Public Art Gallery, Tue 19 Jun 2012
Warrington Okahau Matariki Celebrations

Warrington School, Tue 19 Jun 2012
Laura Marsh & Ed Lust: The Stars Have Always Risen

Community Gallery, Thu 21 Jun 2012 – Thu 28 Jun 2012
Tumutumu

Allen Hall Theatre, Thu 21 Jun 2012 – Fri 22 Jun 2012
Dunedin Public Art Gallery Matariki Star Map

Dunedin Public Art Gallery, Sat 23 Jun 2012 – Sun 24 Jun 2012
Taonga Tākaro Mō Te Whānau (Māori Games for All the Family)

Araiteuru Marae, Sun 24 Jun 2012
Brockville Community Whai Workshop

Brockville School, Thu 28 Jun 2012
Brockville Community Hākari

Brockville School, Fri 29 Jun 2012
Orokonui Night Tour

Orokonui Ecosanctuary, Sat 30 Jun 2012 – Sat 7 Jul 2012
Waterlines

The Anteroom, Sat 7 Jul 2012
Orokonui Community Hāngī & Sounds

Orokonui Ecosanctuary, Sat 7 Jul 2012
Matariki 2012

Napier Soundshell, Fri 22 Jun 2012
Mean Matariki Mean

Corban Estate Arts Centre, Sun 1 Jul 2012
ChameLeon CD Launch

Te Papa, Sun 1 Jul 2012
Matariki - Cultural Identity: People and Places

Lake House Arts Centre, Tue 12 Jun 2012 – Sun 24 Jun 2012
Wakapurei 2012 - Rough, Raw Ready - Shot Bro

The Basement, Wed 27 Jun 2012
Wakapurei 2012 - Rough, Raw and Ready: My Mother Dreaming

The Basement, Fri 29 Jun 2012
2degrees Kapa Haka Super 12s

The Cloud, Sat 14 Jul 2012
Matariki Wānanga-ā-Kai Food Forum

Mangere Arts Centre - Ngā Tohu o Uenuku, Tue 10 Jul 2012 – Wed 11 Jul 2012
Matariki Exhibition- Whakamaharatanga: Remembrance

Hastings Community Arts Centre, Wed 13 Jun 2012 – Sat 23 Jun 2012
The Treasures of Matariki

PATAKA Art + Museum, Sat 23 Jun 2012 – Sun 15 Jul 2012
Return of the Light Celebration Day

West Coast Gallery, Sat 23 Jun 2012
Return of the Light

West Coast Gallery, Thu 14 Jun 2012 – Sun 8 Jul 2012
Te Hono ki Aotearoa

The Paramount Theatre, Sun 24 Jun 2012
Matariki Star Lab

Youth Space, Tue 10 Jul 2012 – Wed 11 Jul 2012
Matariki at the Opawa Farmers' Market

Opawa Farmers' Market, Sun 24 Jun 2012
Films on Marae

Manurewa Marae, Sat 7 Jul 2012
Films on Marae

Awataha Marae, Fri 6 Jul 2012
Matariki International

Waikato Museum, Sat 30 Jun 2012
Matariki International

Waikato Museum, Sat 14 Jul 2012
Men of Matariki

Corban Estate Arts Centre, Thu 12 Jul 2012 – Mon 27 Aug 2012
Matariki - Waiata Wednesday

Panmure Library, Wed 11 Jul 2012
Puanga - Light up the Night

Majestic Square, Sat 7 Jul 2012

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