MATARIKI MOMENT
Manawa Maori & Neighbourhood NZ
Mãnawatia a Matariki
Happy Mãori New Year
The Neighbourhood team are so lucky to have Ella, also known for her mahi as @manawamaori, as a mentor, pou of support and aroha and a dear friend.
We feel deeply privileged and grateful to mahi tahi and together work towards contributing to (and protecting) a decolonized, empowered and culturally enriched Aotearoa.
For many of us in Neighbourhood who grew up in te ao Päkeha in Aotearoa, our learning opportunities and confidence to move towards the world of te ao Mãori is made possible with inspiring and empowering mentors like Ella. It is her mahi and her heart that teach us that we are all learning, we are all on the same waka and that te ao Mãori embodies deep love and unity.
Matariki will feel and be experienced differently for all of us. For many it is still new or perhaps painful. For others it can be an opportunity for reflection, of feelings of both happiness and hurt. Most importantly, Matariki celebrates togetherness, whãnau, those we have lost from a marama and all the blessings that have entered our lives.
Mânawatia a Matariki whanau this is a time for us all. Here are some was that the Neighbourhood leads will be spending this time of togetherness.
Brittany - Whakatu
Honouring Matariki
This Matariki for me is firmly focused on reflecting and resetting. I'lI be with my friends and dog in Kapanga, sharing good kai, some sun and moving slowly to enjoy some rest.
Beyond the Matariki holiday, I want to take the time to look back at all I have worked really hard for alongside wonderful whanau and friends this year and to choose the things I want to invest my time and energy in for the new year and honouring a shift in priorities or anything else that feels right.
I'Il honour Matariki with renewed energy for working to create inclusive, safe spaces for decolonising communities and with gratitude for the privilege to be who and where I am.
Madeline - Te Matau a Maui
Honouring Matariki
Matariki this year will provide me with a much needed opportunity to rest and reflect. After a busy year working in the hospital it is special and important to be given space to acknowledge the hard mahi, the heavy emotions and how can continue to advocate for a more equitable, accessible Aotearoa.
I will be logging off social media and staying in a cabin surrounded by native bush in Kapanga with friends and whanau. I plan to cook delicious kai, engage in stimulating körero and take deep breaths in nature. 2023 has been a test of resilience and full of difficult setbacks, so it seems fitting to celebrate the Mãori New Year with those who have deeply supported me and kept me afloat when I needed it most.
Above all, this time will be one of deep gratitude and acceptance. Embracing the duality of hurt and happiness, the growth, the lessons. our beautiful country and appreciation for Matariki - the important recognition of our indigenous culture and how this time embodies love, togetherness and presence.
Ella - Tamaki Makaurau
Honouring Matariki
I will spend Matariki connecting with friends, both old and new. Like many other people my age, this year is marked by countless goodbyes - many of my friends are leaving to take their next steps overseas, and l'm starting to think about what's next in store for me. It's likely the last year that all my friends here will be together in Aotearoa as young adults, which can be easy to forget when we're all impatient to start our next adventure.
This weekend, I will be slowing down and making the most of the country I grew up in and the people I grew up with. I'll be celebrating successes, watching one of my best friends submit her thesis this week; merging old and new by moving back to the place I grew up, but as a completely different adult; and spending time in the moment rather than what's coming next.
This Matariki will be spent honouring and appreciating all the people who have helped me get to where I am today, including Madeline, Britt & the Neighbourhood team who have given me the space and opportunity to make a real, tangible difference to the future of Aotearoa.
Grace - Te Whanganui-a-Tara
Honouring Matariki
Coming into the second half of 2023 and
New Year I am going to spend this Matariki intentionally stripping back my life and refocusing my energy, goals and intentions. l'Il be spending the weekend with my friends, grooving to music, eating yummy kai, immersing myself in nature and appreciating the beautiful life l have.
Matariki symbolises a change of season, beginning of a New Year, and connection between all parts of ourselves and our environment. So beyond this weekend I am going to honour Matariki by acknowledging where I am now, where I have been and where I would like to be.
I am also going to reflect on what fills my cup and brings me joy, and let go of what drains my energy, but most of all I am going to cherish and prioritise fostering positive healthy connections with myself and those important to me.