Matariki 2025 in New Zealand

Matariki marks the Māori New Year, celebrated with the rising of the Matariki star cluster. The festival is a time for reflection, remembrance, and renewal, bringing families and communities together to honor the past and look forward to the future.

Matariki: A Public Holiday?

Matariki is a public holiday in New Zealand. Most businesses, offices, and schools are closed as people celebrate the Māori New Year with cultural events, family gatherings, and moments of reflection and renewal.

Matariki

Matariki is the Māori name for the Pleiades star cluster, which rises in the mid-winter sky and signals the beginning of the Māori New Year. For centuries, Māori communities across Aotearoa observed Matariki with rituals that honored their ancestors, gave thanks for the harvest, and prepared for the year ahead. The appearance of the star cluster was seen as a time for reflection, renewal, and reconnection with the natural world.

During European colonization, many traditional Māori practices, including Matariki celebrations, declined. However, efforts to revive and promote Māori culture in recent decades have brought Matariki back into national focus. In 2022, New Zealand officially recognized Matariki as a public holiday, making it the first public holiday based on Māori tradition. This marks an important step in acknowledging Māori heritage and fostering greater understanding and respect for the country's indigenous culture.

Observance of Matariki in New Zealand

Matariki is now widely celebrated across New Zealand as a time to reflect on the past, celebrate the present, and look to the future. Families and communities gather to remember loved ones who have passed, share meals, and enjoy storytelling, music, and cultural performances. Many people take time to reconnect with nature by planting trees or spending time outdoors, in line with traditional values of respect for the environment.

Public events and festivals are held in cities and towns, featuring kapa haka, art exhibitions, light displays, and educational programs. Schools incorporate Matariki into their learning, helping young New Zealanders understand its cultural and historical significance. Media coverage and community activities ensure that the festival reaches a broad audience, building nationwide awareness.

Matariki's importance goes beyond the celebrations. It fosters unity, encourages reflection, and strengthens cultural identity. As the only public holiday rooted in Māori tradition, it represents a growing commitment to honoring the country's diverse cultural heritage. For many, Matariki is a time of hope, renewal, and togetherness, offering a uniquely New Zealand way to celebrate the new year.

Matariki Observances