Please note: we will be closing early on Friday 24 (4:30pm) and Saturday 25 June (5pm).

Come celebrate Matariki with us! View our Mānawatia a Matariki programme

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  4. Matariki: The Māori New Year

Songs that celebrate Matariki Ētahi waiata whakanui i a Matariki

Enjoy these three waiata waiatasongsMāori | noun that celebrate Matariki and learn a little about the background and meaning of each song.

Kia ngahau ki ēnei waiata e toru e whakanui ana i a Matariki, ā, ka ako ki tētahi wāhi iti mō te tikanga o ia waiata.

  • A group of young men singing on stage in traditional Māori dress
    Songs that celebrate Matariki: Te Rahu Tapu a Tāne

    Songs that celebrate Matariki: Te Rahu Tapu a Tāne

    This waiata was composed by Ruth Smith of Nūhaka in 2013 with students of Te Aute College and talks about the baskets of knowledge in Māori mythology.

  • Two men singing with a guitar, one man has a full-face tattoo
    Songs that celebrate Matariki: Ngā Whetū

    Songs that celebrate Matariki: Ngā Whetū

    This waiata by Hirini Melbourne is sung by Te Aute College, and talks about the heavens, star connections, and constellations, including the Matariki star cluster.

  • A group of people facing the camera sitting in and standing in front of a tree
    Songs that celebrate Matariki: Mokohuruhuru

    Songs that celebrate Matariki: Mokohuruhuru

    This song was written by Mark Kopua, a former student at Te Aute College, and talks about moving from darkness into the light of the day.