Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka has praised Friday morning’s Matariki mā Puanga events at Tirorangi Marae in Ohakune, describing them as “iconic”.
The occasion began with a hautapu ceremony followed by a Matariki address, which formed part of the official national broadcast co-hosted by Stacey Morrison and Mātai Smith.
“It was iconic,” Potaka told Morrison during the live coverage.
“As I mentioned earlier today to some of my whanaunga, the connection to the universe - but also the connection to the innerverse - is what these types of tikanga ceremonies bring."
Potaka said the establishment of a public holiday for Matariki plays an important role in bringing the country together.
“I think this is a real kotahitanga celebration,” he said.
“It’s something that drives towards unity across diversity — not only within our own tikanga, because we have diverse tikanga across different iwi, but also across the motu — across the islands that we call New Zealand… and the celebration that goes with it by many, many people.”
He also emphasised the importance of preserving ancestral traditions, such as the observance of Puanga and Matariki.
“One of the reasons is they connect us back to nature - they connect us back to the taiao, something that nearly all New Zealanders think is really important,” he said.
“The second thing is that it brings us closer together - to those that have gone, that we honour; to the people who are with us today; and our mokopuna in the future.
“All those things together - celestial and terrestrial, as we say - really showcase what it means to be a New Zealander.
“I think, and I think many people think, there’s real strength in unity and diversity.”
