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Te Papa Tongarewa

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Matariki After Dark: Leading from the frontMatariki i te Pō: He ihu waka, he ihu tangata

Hei whakanui mā ngā pakeke anake mō ngā kōrero, ngā tikanga, me te mātauranga kua wānangahia i waenga i Aotearoa, ā puta noa i Te Moana-nui-a-Kiwa.

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An adults-only celebration of the stories, traditions, and mātauranga shared between Aotearoa New Zealand and Te Moananui-a-Kiwa, the wider Pacific. 

When | Āhea

Thu 2 Jul 2026, 7.30pm to 11pm

Where | Ki hea

Across Level 4

Cost | Te utu

Free with museum entry

Age

16+

Accessibility

  • NZSL Interpteted programme

  • Wheelchair accessible

  • Some activities will have flashing lights

Matariki Herenga Waka, the theme of this year’s celebrations, acknowledges the stories, traditions, and mātauranga carried by waka, and the voyages that bring people together.

Whether you know it as Matariki, Makali’I, or Subaru, this star cluster is recognised across a wide range of cultures throughout Te Moananui-a-Kiwa, the wider Pacific.

Come together to celebrate Matariki through music, kōrero, performances, workshops, and kai.

  • R&B, hip‑hop blended beats with KOREKASH.

  • Dance the night away with our Cook Island whanaunga/whānau through performances by Inano Dance.

  • Learn about the practice of tīvaevaefrom the Tīpurepure ‘Au Vaine.

  • Weave and wānanga with the Pacific Climate Warriors.

  • Learn about te reo o te waka from Te Moananui-a-Kiwa, with experienced kaumoana from Ngahiraka Mai Tawhiti. This kōrero will be in te reo Māori. 

  • Te Papa curators and special guest speakers kōrero about waka and collection highlights.

  • Explore our Mānawatia a Matariki hub, relax with some Māori Mermaid colouring in, play kēmu with friends, or chat around the fire.

  • Cash bar and seasonal kai available.

This event will have NZSL interpretation. A full schedule, including information for Deaf whānau, will be shared soon.

Ngā ringatoi ma kaikoreroArtists and speakers

Mahara Nicholas (Ngāti Ranginui, Ngāi Te Rangi) is a dedicated leader in te ao Māori, recognised for his commitment to te reo Māori revitalisation, mātauranga Māori, and kaupapa Māori education. Grounded in the principles of kura kaupapa Māori, Mahara plays a significant role in nurturing the language, identity, and cultural confidence of rangatahi through his work within Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Te Kura Kōkiri.

A respected kaihautū and practitioner of traditional navigation, Mahara integrates ancestral knowledge systems into teaching and learning, bringing te reo Māori and tikanga to life in meaningful and practical ways. His leadership reflects the values of Te Aho Matua, supporting ākonga to grow as strong, capable, and culturally grounded individuals.

Beyond the classroom, Mahara is a waka hourua captain and wayfinder, dedicated to the revitalisation of Pacific voyaging traditions. Through this work, he reinforces the intergenerational transmission of knowledge, ensuring that the wisdom of the tūpuna continues to inform and inspire future generations.

Through his teaching, leadership, and cultural practice, Mahara creates spaces where te reo Māori and mātauranga Māori are not only preserved but lived – empowering others to reconnect with their heritage and carry it forward with pride.

Photo by Rawhitiroa Photography @rawhitiroa

Hinerapa Rupuha (Ngāti Kahungunu, Te Whānau a Apanui) is a passionate advocate for te reo Māori, tikanga Māori, and mātauranga Māori, with a deep commitment to cultural revitalisation and empowerment. Raised within Kōhanga Reo and Kura Kaupapa Māori, she carries strong foundations in Te Aho Matua, grounding her work in a holistic Māori worldview that centres language, identity, and whanaungatanga.

Hinerapa is highly regarded for her expertise in Māori language education and cultural capability, holding both Te Pīnakitanga ki te Reo Kairangi and Te Panekiretanga o te Reo, prestigious qualifications that reflect excellence and mastery in te reo Māori. She has worked extensively across education, advisory, and facilitation spaces, supporting organisations and communities to authentically embed te reo and tikanga Māori into their practice.

Hinerapa is a dedicated practitioner of traditional navigation. As a trained celestial navigator, she draws on ancestral knowledge of the stars, ocean, and environment, and has completed significant voyages across Te Moana-nui-a-Kiwa, embodying the resilience, discipline, and intergenerational knowledge of her tūpuna.

Grounded in te ao Māori and driven by a strong sense of purpose, Hinerapa brings depth, authenticity, and inspiration to her work as a facilitator, educator, and leader – uplifting others to reconnect with knowledge systems, language, culture, and identity.

KOREKASH is a powerhouse collective of six Māori artists repping roots from across Aotearoa, based in Te Whanganui-ā-Tara. Blending R&B, hip-hop, and genre-bending sounds.

Their energy hits just as hard on stage as it does in the studio. With three singers, three rappers, and two members doubling as in-house producers, everything KOREKASH created is 100% self-made. Grounded in culture, collaboration and raw talent, the group delivers a dynamic sound built through years of friendship, work, and lived experience.

The Kiribati Community Club Incorporated, also known as Wellington Kiribati Community (WKC), was founded in 1995 by the first I-Kiribati settlers in Wellington to preserve the Kiribati language and culture. Members live across Greater Wellington, including Levin, Palmerston North, Wanganui, and New Plymouth. Preserving culture and language remains the group’s central priority. The Ministry for Pacific Peoples endorsed Kiribati language week as an official event starting in 2020, further supporting the teaching of the culture and language to young people. The language week included activities such as flag raising, cultural performances, teaching Kiribati words, singing and dancing lessons, traditional cooking and healing, making fishing nets, and building a model te waa (canoe).

It is important for children and young people to know the waa’s significance in Kiribati heritage, reflecting respect for the ocean, land, and people. Annual celebrations and training showcase Kiribati language and values to both the community and other ethnic groups, promoting understanding and appreciation. These experiences help our youth take pride in their heritage.

Tīpurepure ‘Au Vaine is a tīvaevae collective that has gathered every Thursday in Porirua since 2019. Rooted in a proud lineage of Cook Islands va’inetini (women’s groups) and au va’ine (women’s guilds), Tīpurepure ‘Au Vaine come together to sustain, celebrate, and evolve the practice of tīvaivai.

Their weekly gatherings also emphasise the important social role of tīvaevae. In addition to being a treasured Cook Islands artform, tīvaevae is also a social practice. Through making, Tīpurepure ‘Au Vaine nurtures language, kinship and culture, creating a space for Cook Islands identity to thrive in Aotearoa.

Photo by Ralph Brown Pacifica Arts Centre Moanaroa

Inano Dance presents: Tūrama After Dark

Step into Tūrama After Dark, an immersive live Pacific experience where the vibrant energy of Cook Islands music and dance transforms the night.

Driven by the rich sounds of a live Kuki string band, dancers emerge throughout the space in a continuous celebration of rhythm, storytelling, and connection.

Created during the Matariki season, Tūrama (to illuminate) reflects the coming together of Te Ao Māori and Kuki Airani culture through movement, song, and shared experience.

Audiences are invited to journey through an atmosphere alive with performance, island spirit, and celebration, as Te Papa After Dark pulses with the heartbeat of the Pacific.

The 350.org Pacific Climate Warriors are a youth-led grassroots network working with communities to fight climate change from the Pacific Islands and diaspora. With over 18 teams across the Pacific and 5 in the Pacific Diaspora, our Te Whanganui-a-Tara team is one of 2 diaspora teams based in Aotearoa. Using education, policy, and activism to influence systems change, the Pacific Climate Warriors embody the resilience, strength, and courage to lead in a climate crisis. 

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