Gathering Under the Stars: Celebrate Matariki at The Pantry
The stars of Puaka (Rigel) and Matariki (Pleiades star cluster) will rise in our southern skies later this week.
A special free evening is planned for Thursday, June 19th, from 5pm to 7pm, in South Invercargill to welcome the Māori New Year – Te Mātahi o te Tau.
Hosted by South Alive and The Pantry, it invites whānau, friends, and community to gather for the Matariki Community Dinner.
Matariki is a time to remember loved ones who have passed, set intentions for the year ahead, celebrate with whānau and community, and share kai harvested from the whenua (land) in gratitude.
The evening will consist of warm soup and bread, stories and waiata and time shared under the stars.
As the stars rise and the night sky unfolds like a story book, we are reminded: everything we need is already around us – in our land, our water, our people, and our stories.
Whether Matariki is part of your yearly tradition or something you are discovering for the first time, this event welcomes all.
Bring your whānau, your neighbour, or just bring yourself. Let’s sit together, share what we have, and celebrate Matariki under the stars.
What to bring: A warm coat, a blanket, and if you have one, a camping chair to make yourself comfortable. Seating is available but limited. A koha for the kai is much appreciated but not required.
This year's theme: Matariki ki te wai and Puaka
The theme for Matariki will honor the life-giving and spiritual role of wai (water) in Te Ao Maori.
It draws inspiration from the stars Waitī (freshwater), Waitā (saltwater), and Waipuna-ā-rangi (rain), reminding us of our deep connection to rivers, oceans, and skies – and the cycle that sustains us all.
Healthy Families Invercargill Rautaki Māori Innovator and one of the organisers of the dinner, Courtney Heke-McColgan says Matariki acknowledges everything that sustains us.
“Our wai, our kai sources, what we eat, our hauora, the hopes and aspirations of whānau, and the healthy processing of grief.
“Everything that is important to us as people in reaching – the pinnacle of happiness.”
This year marks the first time the star, Puaka, is being acknowledged nationally, recognising the diversity of celebration across iwi and the wider Pacific.
For many iwi, including Kāi Tahu in the South, Puaka is observed an hour before Matariki due to location and topography.
The Power of Shared Kai
A feast is often prepared in honor of the stars, connecting us back to Atua (deities), the whenua, and each other.
In Te Ao Māori, a community meal creates an easy access point to both learn and expose Māori ways of doing things.
Sharing a meal during Matariki is a way to celebrate Māori culture and rethink how we see and honor the journey of kai, from whenua to the table.
At the Matariki Community Dinner, soup will be served.
The flavour of soup is a tribute to the harvest stars, typically Tupu-ā-nuku (kai grown in the earth) and supporting star Waipuna-ā-rangi (connected to rain).
This simple dish is an offering from Papatūānuku, the Atua of the whenua.
“The shared kai, made with the hua or the vegetables from Papatūānuku is both an honoring of the connection between star, the Atua, the whenua and us as whānau or receivers of the gifts,” Courtney says.
Acknowledgements
This community-led event has been made possible thanks to the support of many:
Kiwiharvest has generously supplied kai for soup, ensuring the meal is hearty and nourishing.
Active Southland and Healthy Families Invercargill will help bring everything together behind the scenes on the night.
And thanks to the Southern Farmers Market, for offering its gazebos to keep us dry, no matter what the weather is.
