Te Rā Aro ki a Matariki will be officially celebrated on Friday, 15 July this year.
The path towards the rising of Matariki has been laid at an event in Takapō (Lake Tekapo) on Thursday.
A booklet containing karakia for each of the nine stars of Matariki was launched at the Dark Sky Project, which will be distributed to schools and communities across Aotearoa.
Mātauranga Matariki chief advisor professor Rangiānehu Mātāmua said after the first Matariki public holiday last year, there was a huge interest in people wanting to learn the ceremonies and traditions of Matariki.
People did not need 20 tohunga (experts) and 35 minutes of karakia to observe Matariki, Mātāmua said, and the booklet would help whānau partake in their own ceremonies at home.
Professor Rangiānehu Mātāmua celebrate our environment, celebrate who we are, celebrate the uniqueness of this holiday.”
Mātāmua said he was fortunate to have a connection to the Dark Sky project and with the local Rūnanga who hosted the event.
In 2023, Te Rā Aro ki a Matariki will be officially celebrated on Friday, 15 July.
The karakia booklet can be found at the Matariki website.
Credit: radionz.co.nz
