Matariki: The Māori New Year
Learn all about Matariki and see our events. Matariki is a time to gather with family and friends to reflect on the past, celebrate the present, and plan for the future.
Watch: Highlights from the Whāngai i te Hautapu | Matariki Ceremony 2022
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.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern joined tohunga Māori in a pre-dawn hautapu ceremony at Te Papa to launch the first Matariki public holiday.
The hautapu ceremony involves the cooking of kai connected to stars in the Matariki cluster. Steam from the kai is released to feed the stars, and tohunga look to the appearance of the star cluster and share aspirations for the year ahead.
Sir Pou Temara led the hautapu ceremony and said, “This is a moment that future generations will look upon and say – this is when we came of age".
Professor Rangi Matamua, who led the Matariki Advisory Committee that guided the creation of the new public holiday, observed the stars this morning.
“Matariki is something to share as a nation and to forge us together under one identity,” Professor Matamua said.
Watch highlights from the Whāngai i te Hautapu | Matariki Ceremony
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What is a hautapu?
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.
How to host your own hautapu at home
Prepare your own hautapu ceremony at home with your whānau (family) by following the steps below.