Our region is home to 25 per cent of all people who identify as Māori in New Zealand. In June, we’re celebrating and participating in Auckland’s thriving Māori identity.
We’re talking to entrepreneurs, advocates, urban designers, artists and experts about how Māori culture, thinking and experience are shaping Auckland. Take a detailed look at the Māori economy and get the latest on Auckland Council’s project to bring Māori names and stories to Tāmaki Makaurau’s parks and places.
Plus we have a kōrero with Kanoa Lloyd of The Project about how a wharenui in an overseas museum connected her to her roots back home.
And Matariki is here! This year’s festival runs from 22 June to 14 July and presents more than 100 events and programmes to experience Te Ao Māori through stories, entertainment, discussions, performance and art.
Te ao taiao o Tāmaki Makaurau – The physical world of Tāmaki Makaurau
Go on a visual journey of Māori identity in Auckland.
The story of our region’s Māori is woven into the fabric of Auckland – the past and the present. You can spot familiar places in our story about how Māori art and design is shaping the urban environment.
The Matariki festival offers heaps of ways to explore visual arts in the Māori perspective. Learn more with this year’s festival manaaki (host iwi) Waikato-Tainui’s art exhibition at Fresh Gallery Ōtara on whakapapa, heritage and land.
A feast for the eyes and fun for the family, there’s Matariki kite-flying day Āhuareka manu aute or head along to the new Onehunga Arts Festival: Te Ahureitoi Onehunga, 22-30 June, with exhibitions, performances, workshops and more.
The real kōrero
There are so many dedicated people working to support and enhance Māori identity and opportunities across Tāmaki Makaurau. We take an in-depth look at some of the successful social improvement initiatives happening in Auckland right now.
The Matariki on the Move series is another highlight in the 2019 festival programme. The Kōrero series will have a one night only seminar with Māori knowledge holders, while the Waiata events feature female musicians Kaaterama Pou and Whirimako Black.
Celebrate Matariki – it’s our festival
The Matariki festival gives us an opportunity to celebrate something that is uniquely Māori, says Festival Director Ataahua Papa – it’s a seasonal festival with practical and spiritual aspects.
Every year Auckland Council gets excited planning and co-hosting our Matariki celebrations – and they aren’t the only ones. Find out how businesses, schools and individuals in our region embrace New Zealand’s own festival of Matariki.
Join the official opening Matariki dawn ceremony at Pukekawa, Auckland Domain, on 22 June at 6am.
Discover the full festival programme and get into Matariki – the ‘Māori New Year’ celebrations!
