Te Wā Whakanui o Matariki - Celebrating Matariki

Header Image: This tama taiki (childrens' basket) woven from kareao (supple jack) is the perfect cosy space to share Matariki stories

Tamariki can make a pūrerehua – a Māori whirly wind instrument that sounds like insects’ or birds’ wings, weave a special taonga to treasure, build a manu aute (kite) to fly, or design a twinkling tealight lantern to light up the night.

We created a modern-day version of pūrerehua (below) ; traditional Māori wind instruments carved from wood.Their eerie sound was believed to connect people to their ancestors and the lands and seas around them, to call rain and to send one’s hopes and dreams on the four winds of Tāwhirimātea, god of the wind.

Our School Holiday Programme runs until Friday 23 July. We hope all teachers, students and whānau have had a relaxing and fun holiday break and our team looks forward to seeing you at Waitangi during Term 3!  Find out about education visits ; if you can’t make it to Waitangi just yet, one of our educators can zoom into your classroom with an interactive virtual visit