Matariki Celebrations

Thank you so much for joining us to celebrate Matariki last Thursday. It truly was a special day here at school, filled with learning, creativity, and reflection as we explored the meaning and traditions of Matariki — a time to remember the past, celebrate the present and look to the future.

We began our day early — very early — down at the beach with the Hautapu ceremony and we want to thank you for getting up in the dark and making your way to this special celebration. Despite the chill and the early start, it was a moving and meaningful way to mark the rising of Matariki and the beginning of the Māori New Year. It was a special moment we’ll all remember.

Thank you to Pip, Aroha and Simon for all of your help and guidance with putting the Hautapu Ceremony together and for making this happen.

Constable Aaron helped us to cross safely back to school where we were treated to a special breakfast. This gave us time to spend together reflecting on our morning at the beach and to talk about the exciting day that was yet to come. 

Thank you to Mrs Sharma, Khyla and the other helpers who made this delicious breakfast happen for our tamariki. 

Throughout the day, our children took part in a range of activities learning about the stars of Matariki, the values they represent and how people across Aotearoa honour this important time.

In the evening the tamariki were excited to share a small showcase of what they had learnt throughout the day, along with a performance from our talented school choir. Thank you Joy for preparing the choir - they sounded beautiful. 

To finish our evening, we enjoyed a potluck dinner together — and what a treat it was to have such a wonderful array of international dishes from our diverse school community. Thank you to everyone who brought something to share — it really highlights the richness of our cultures and the spirit of coming together.

Our day wouldn’t have been possible without the incredible support of our wider school community. A huge thank you to all of the parents and community members who gave their time and energy — helping with workshops, preparing and serving breakfast, planting trees around our new bike skills track and as mentioned organising the Hautapu ceremony itself. We simply couldn’t have run such a meaningful and well-rounded event without you.

To our teaching and support staff — thank you for your dedication and enthusiasm. We know it was a long day but your contribution helped create something truly memorable for our tamariki.

So once again, thank you for being there, thank you for your support and we hope you enjoyed the day of celebration, connection, and community.