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Ngā Whetū o Aotea – Matariki 2021
July 2, 2021 @ 3:00 pm - July 3, 2021 @ 11:00 am
FreeNgā Whetū o Aotea 2021
There is only one place on Aotea where you have the opportunity of being welcomed onto a traditional Marae, receive an unforgettable pōwhiri (official Maori welcome) share a hāngi meal and climb a hill to stargaze over the ocean.
All the community are welcome to come and share food, stories and stargaze stay overnight do it again and then join the community for breakfast while you warm up by a fire and share the warmth of some great company and wonderful food.
Program:
Fri 2 July
4pm–5pm: Gather together
5pm–9pm: Community dinner at Orama
9pm–5am: Stay at Motairehe Marae or go home
Sat 3 July
5am–8.30am: Gather at Whangapoua for dawn ceremony and stargazing
8.30am–3pm: Art activities, rongoā, weaving hāngī baskets, planting, maramataka, Maha Taonga o Aotea, Tū Mai Taonga
3pm–5pm: Hangī dinner and waiata with the tamariki
5pm: Movie night
5am–8.30am: Gather at Whangapoua for dawn ceremony and stargazing
8.30am–3pm: Art activities, rongoā, weaving hāngī baskets, planting, maramataka, Maha Taonga o Aotea, Tū Mai Taonga
3pm–5pm: Hangī dinner and waiata with the tamariki
5pm: Movie night
For more information visit the Motairehe Marae Facebook Page
Aotea or Great Barrier Island in Aotearoa New Zealand is one of the first dark sky sanctuaries and is the first island sanctuary in the world. Motairehe Marae has a Māori perspective on the dark sky sanctuary here on Aotea.
Matariki is the start of the New Year for Māori. Matariki is actually the name for a star cluster also known as the Pleiades, that rises in late June or early July. It literally translates in English to the ‘little eyes’. The 9 Matariki stars are called:
Hiwa-i-te-rangi
Matariki
Pohutukawa
Tupu-a-nuku
Tupu-a-rangi
Ururangi
Waipuna-a-rangi
Waiti
Waita
Chairman Darren Cleave carried out the first successful Ngā Whetū o Aotea Matariki event in 2019 with a newly developed star gazing platform, amazing telescopes and a wonderful community gathering. We are ready for 2021…come and join us!