Matariki - Northland

Courtesy of Destination Northland www.northlandnz.com/visit

As a pom living in New Zealand, it always struck me as rather strange that there is a public holiday to celebrate the Queen’s birthday here in New Zealand, but we don’t get one in England. Not that I’m complaining - a long weekend is always welcome and combining it with a celebration which is much closer to home – Matariki, the Maori New Year – means there are whole festivals devoted to helping us enjoy the month of June.

Personally, my favourite winter pursuits usually revolve around indoor activities such as eating, drinking and shopping - and the Tai Tokerau Northland Matariki Festival provides many such options. Matariki is a time to celebrate the abundance of food that has been stored for winter, a time to honour those who are no longer with us, and a time to celebrate new beginnings. What a wonderful set of reasons to celebrate say I.

First on the menu then, is food. Visitors to Paihia throughout June and even into mid-July can order from special “Taste Matariki” menus in 14 restaurants featuring delicious indigenous ingredients with matching wines – wow, a 45 day New Year, go New Zealand! While for the real gourmet diners, 24 June looks like the night to be in Whangarei, when 5 of Northland’s top chefs will be showcasing their skills live on a cooking stage for a special gala dinner. Dishes will feature Northland ingredients and “a sprinkling of indigenous culture” in order to honour Matariki. Each course will be partnered with some of New Zealand’s finest wines. I may have to get the glad rags out for that one.

Art exhibitions are a wonderful way to while away the winter hours and during Matariki there are over 30 special exhibitions taking place throughout the region, as well as some hands-on workshops teaching traditional crafts such as kite and kete making. Of particular note is the unveiling of a major new sculptural work called ‘He Tohu o Nga Hau e Wha’ by acclaimed artist Manos Nathan, which will be unveiled at the Dargaville i-Site on June 16th at dawn (7:30am).

Not that all of the ways to celebrate Matariki are inside. Tours of the night skies, guided walks through the forests and history laden waterways are also on offer. You can even pull a train down the main high street of Kawakawa – not sure what that’s got to do with New Year, but it should certainly warm you up.

Since living in Northland I’ve discovered a wonderful way to celebrate the coming of winter and the sighting of the “little sisters, ‘Matariki’ - the Maori name for a cluster of stars that is visible with the naked eye in June/July each year. Traditionally, the first new moon following the sighting of ‘Matariki’ in the pre-dawn sky heralds the beginning of the New Year. This year Matariki is visible on June 16th and New Year’s Day is on June 17th and what better way to celebrate than to go over to the West Coast and enjoy some Hokianga style hospitality with absolute beachfront accommodation, a twilight walk through the kauri forests to work up an appetite then dining on freshly caught crayfish in front of the log fire.

So, whether you want to pay your respects to the Queen, the star system - or you just want a great excuse for a short break, I recommend a visit to the Birthplace of the Nation.

More information on Matariki and visiting Tai Tokerau Northland can be found on www.northlandnz.com/visit

print