Waitaki groups are coming together to help the district celebrate Matariki.

In the week leading up to the Matariki Public Holiday (4-13 July), Waitaki District Libraries, Waitaki Museum and Archives, the Forrester Gallery, Waitaki Whitestone Geopark, Waste Free Waitaki and the Ōamaru Opera House are providing a family-friendly programme of free events and activities to celebrate the beginning of the Māori New Year.

Building on last year’s Waitaki Matariki celebrations, which involved a public talk and star-gazing organised by the library team and Te Rūnanga o Moeraki, the expanded 2023 programme is a collaboration between the Rūnanga, Waitaki District Council and all its cultural facilities.

Waitaki District Libraries manager Jenny Bean said she is looking forward to this year’s events.

“Reflecting the aspirations of mana whenua, this year’s Matariki celebration is about engaging the community in the deeper meaning of Matariki – bringing friends and whānau together to remember and honour those who have passed since the last rising of Matariki, giving thanks for the blessings of last year, reconnecting with one another, and sharing hopes and dreams for the new year,” she said.

Activities include a storybook trail around Ōamaru Harbour, crafts, stories and songs at the Ōamaru Library, digging into family history at the archive, badge making at the Forrester, sparkly activities at the museum, rock plotting with the Geopark, waste free reflection, and Tūhura Otago Museum’s portable planetarium at the Opera House.

A competition will also be running where participants can collect stars at the events and go into the draw to win a prize.

Local Ngāi Tahu astronomer and astrophotographer Damien McNamara welcomes this opportunity to share with the community his passion for mātauranga Māori and the stars.

“It was an honour to be asked to help the cultural facilities build on last year’s Matariki celebrations, and it is a privilege being so involved with this year's programme," he said. 

“I have approached each opportunity to participate with Matariki in mind, ensuring those we have lost are remembered, celebrating the now with loved ones, while planning not just for the year ahead, but for years to come.”

As part of the programme and alongside his collaborative photography exhibition running at the Forrester Gallery, Damien will be giving a public talk at 6pm, on Tuesday (11 July) at the Ōamaru library about his practice capturing the Tahu-nui-ā-Raki (Aurora Australis). 

He will also be inviting viewers to experience looking through a solar telescope at the library the following day at 2pm.

The two-week progamme will culminate with an event at dawn at Mākotukutuku/the Cape Wanbrow lookout on the Thursday before Friday’s Matariki public holiday.

Damien McNamara will lead guided stargazing and Justin Tipa (Kaiwhakahaere - Te Rūnanga o Moeraki) will share kōrero and a special ceremonial karakia as part of acknowledging the heliacal rising of Matariki.

The library team will be running waiata drop-in sessions during the programme in preparation for leading the group in a waiata. All will be followed by hot soup and buns on the cape.

More details and a full programme of can be downloaded from the events page on the Waitaki District Council website and printed copies can be found at council’s cultural facilities.

The full Matariki programme can be found here: https://www.waitaki.govt.nz/Matariki-Whanau-Fun