Principal's Page

Kia Ora - Manaakitia Matariki Koutou

Kia Ora and a New Year's Matariki Blessing upon you all.

At left is Adriaan with his representation of the Matariki stars.

Matariki, the Māori New Year, is typically marked by the rise of the Matariki star cluster in the appropriate moon phase. Some iwi observe the rise of the lone star Puaka as the beginning of the new year. 

 In 2022, the stars set on 23 Haratua/May and rise between 21 to 24 Pipiri/June. The Matariki period is 21 Pipiri/June to 29 Pipiri/June 2022. In 2022, the Government has created a new public holiday for Aotearoa by passing the Te Kāhui o Matariki Public Holiday Act. The first public holiday to celebrate Matariki is this Friday 24 June 2022.

Matariki is the Māori name for a group of stars that are also known as the Pleiades star cluster. The physical appearance of Matariki in the sky was traditionally used by a tohunga (a priest or expert) as a forecast of the year ahead. Clear and bright stars signalled warm and productive seasons, and hazy or shimmering clusters meant a cold winter was coming and ground for crops was prepared accordingly. 

Each iwi has its own stories and perspectives about Matariki and celebrates Matariki at different times. Some hold festivities when Matariki is first seen in the dawn sky; others celebrate after the rise of the full moon or at the beginning of the next new moon. Today Matariki is generally seen as an important time to celebrate the earth and show respect for the land. It is also a time to acknowledge those who have passed away and to plan for the year ahead. Matariki is a good opportunity for all New Zealanders to come together with Māori communities to learn their stories, culture, and language.

By celebrating Matariki with our students and the wider community we can bring the NZC principles to life, especially the Treaty of Waitangi, community engagement, and cultural diversity. Matariki provides an opportunity for students to explore the values of diversity, community and participation, and respect for self and others. Matariki is also a useful context to promote the development of key competencies and to examine the social science concepts of cultural identity, place and environment, and continuity and change.

Celebrating Matariki together as a nation provides an opportunity for Māori language, culture and history to be more accessible to all New Zealanders both here and overseas. It supports us to reflect the value we place in our cultural heritage and helps us develop a better sense of our national identity. I’m excited to be celebrating Matariki not just as a public holiday but as a wonderful expression of what makes us unique.

At Western Heights, each syndicate will be celebrating Matariki as a mini whānau by sharing kai (food). 

Remember, as it's a national holiday, there is NO school this Friday.

My very best regards to you all as always,

Ash Maindonald

Principal.