Matariki Whangamatā celebration

Matariki Whangamatā celebrations return this June, running four days from Thursday 19 to Sunday 22 June. The community will come together with kai, workshops, and activities to reflect on and honour the Māori New Year.

The event starts on 19 June with hāngī preparation at Whangamatā Memorial Hall. This offers a chance to connect through the shared mahi of preparing vegetables, stuffing and fry bread.

On the Friday, a public holiday, will host the main celebrations. Before dawn, the hāngī fire will be lit at Williamson Park and community members are invited to visit throughout the day to observe the cooking process.

Free workshops run from 9am to 12pm at the Memorial Hall, featuring hands-on learning in kite making, poi, weaving, painting, clay work, carving, traditional tā moko and more.

At midday, the event moves to Williamson Park for a community concert and shared hāngī. Tickets cost $10 and are available from the Info Centre or Community Services Trust. These usually sell out quickly, so early booking is recommended.

Workshops continue on Saturday from 9am to 3pm. Sunday marks the day of festivities featuring Matariki viewing, a sunrise gathering and kite flying at Onemana.

Ryan Thompson of the Whangamatā Community Marae Trust says, “Matariki Whangamatā is a time for our community to come together to reflect, remember, learn, connect, and honour Māori culture.”

He adds “We celebrate through delicious kai, music, workshops, and the warmth of gathering as one. We welcome visitors and locals alike to join us.”

The event is supported by the Creative Communities Scheme, with $1300 in funding awarded through Thames-Coromandel District Council and backed by Creative New Zealand.

Explore other Matariki events in our district

Find a Matariki event near you.

See the full list on the Destination Hauraki Coromandel events page at the link below.