Kapa haka stars shine at Nelson Matariki festival

Sunday, 21 July 2019

Richmond Maori immersion group Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Tuia Te Matangi put on a kapa haka performance at the Matariki Festival at Founders Park on Saturday.

Three school kapa haka groups warmed up for national competitions with performances at Nelson's Matariki and Star Party festival.

The event, which ran on Saturday afternoon until evening at Founders Park, also featured talks on stargazing and Māori astronomy and several short films, along with plenty of kai.

Performances were given by three Nelson school kapa haka groups, Tamariki Toa of Te Pouahi (Nelson Central School), Te Pītau Whakarei (Nelson Intermediate) and Richmond Māori immersion school Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Tuia Te Matangi.

Hundreds of people, including Nelson Mayor Rachel Reese, were at Founders Park for the council's celebration of Māori New Year.

Nick Rangi preparing roasted mussels at the event.

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Nelson Mayor Racher Reese and Ngati Kuia chair Waihaere Mason.

All three school kapa haka groups will be representing Nelson in the upcoming Te Mana Kuratahi National Primary School kapa haka competition in November.

Between kapa haka performances three short films were shown, Koro's Medal, about a boy who loses his grandfather's medal, Hawaikii, about a Māori girl experiencing her first day at a Pakeha school, and award-winning Taika Waititi film Tama Tu, about the 28th Māori Battalion in Italy.

Afterwards, vice president of the Society of Māori Astronomy Toa Waaka told attendees about how Māori used stars to navigate, called celestial navigation, and spoke of traditional Māori cosmology which helped to guide fishing, harvesting, and planting throughout the year. Waaka also told the Māori creation story.

Hundreds of people braved the chilly winter weather to join the celebration marking the rise of the Matariki star cluster, marking the Māori new year.

The stars rise in the Māori month of Pipiri, which is in late June to early July. Each year Matariki happens at a slightly different date, since it relies on the rising of the constellation.

Nelson Mayor Rachel Reese, who opened the event, said she was pleased to see growing interest in Māori culture and Matariki events, and congratulated the kapa haka groups for making the nationals.