Hautapu me te umu kohukohu whetūHautapu: the ceremonial oven and offerings to the stars

In mid-winter, when Matariki appears on the eastern horizon in the morning, a ceremony takes place. This ceremony is commonly known as whāngai i te hautapu – or hautapu for short. It means to feed the stars with a sacred offering.

Prepare your own hautapu ceremony at home with your whānau (family) by following the steps below.

On June 24, 2022, Te Papa hosted a globally significant milestone with the launch of the country’s first public holiday that acknowledges mātauranga Māori (Indigenous knowledge).