In celebration of Matariki 2025, the University of Waikato’s Tauranga campus hosted a special Matariki Lecture on June 17, welcoming the community to reflect on the significance of this sacred time in the Māori calendar.
Matariki refers to the Pleiades star cluster and its first rising in the pre-dawn sky during late June or early July, marking the beginning of the Māori New Year. This celestial event is a time of remembrance, renewal, and celebration — honouring those who have passed, expressing gratitude for the present, and setting intentions for the year ahead.
Hautapu Ceremony at Moturiki
The following morning, on June 18, a hautapu ceremony was held at Moturiki. Known as whāngai i te hautapu — feeding the stars — this sacred ritual involves the ceremonial offering of kai (food) to Matariki. As steam rises to the heavens, it symbolically nourishes the stars, pays tribute to those who have passed, and calls forth blessings for abundance, wellbeing, and unity in the year to come.
Both events were led by Ngairo Eruera, Senior Lecturer at the University of Waikato and Tangata Whenua Board Trustee of SociaLink Tūhono Pāpori.
Andrea Jerry Ryan, Kaiwhakawhanake Māori Development Manager at SociaLink, attended the celebrations and reflected on the experience:
“The Matariki lecture, given in English, was insightful and the hautapu ceremony, held entirely in te reo Māori, was truly moving. It was thoughtfully organised — lanterns lit the pathway, and volunteers with torches guided attendees across Moturiki. A circle of fairy lights brought everyone together as the ceremony began. Ngairo used a laser pointer to identify each star while explaining its significance. The sound of tūī singing in the trees echoed as incantations were chanted. It was an experience to be treasured.”
Set against the soft glow of the rising dawn, the ceremony created a powerful space for connection — to the whenua (land), to each other, and to the wairua (spirit) that flows between past and present.
“It was a deeply moving experience — remembering those who had passed as their names were read aloud, celebrating the present, and looking forward with intention to the year ahead.“
Ka mahuta a Matariki i te pae, ka mahuta ō tātou tūmanako ki te tau.
When Matariki rises above the horizon, our aspirations rise to the year ahead.
