Rongowhakaata Iwi Trust

Mānawa maiea te tātahi o te tau.

Across the motu and beyond, our whānau mark Matariki in powerful and personal ways. We’re celebrating these stories as reminders of the strength, connection, and mātauranga that binds us.

Ngā mihi nui Joy Tautahi for sharing your kōrero with us.

The post office will be closed tomorrow Friday June 20 for the Matariki public holiday. Please collect any parcels before 1:30pm Thursday June 19th.

Matariki merch update✨
Our T Shirts and Hoodies have arrived back from the printers and looking great.
We are hard at work packing your orders and getting them into the post

Check your inbox for an email with your tracking number or notification if you are picking up from the post office.

We are celebrating Matariki by sharing kōrero from our whānau—each one a reminder to pause, reconnect, and celebrate the richness of who we are, even when living away from home.

Ngā mihi nui Marion Leedie living in QLD Australia for sharing your kōrero with us.

"Residing on Yagera country in Australia, teaching my tamariki what Matariki is and why this time is special—reminding them how our kaumātua raised us on our whenua, our appreciation for our awa, maunga, and te taiao. All my tamariki were born here, so I must constantly make our culture available to them. Sharing beautiful kai, wishing for a hāngī (though the backyard’s waterlogged). Spending lots of time in the garden, learning about Indigenous plants and bush tukka. Always acknowledging our loved ones—Mama, Papa, Nanny—and asking for their guidance."

This week we are celebrating the many beautiful ways our whānau mark Matariki—sharing stories to inspire us to reconnect, reflect, and celebrate together.

Ngā mihi nui Kennzy Hotene for sharing your reflections with us.

"Last year we celebrated Matariki with the rangatahi from Te Ora Hou- Te Tairawhiti, who wove rourou and laid down a hāngī. It was their responsibility to keep three fires going—one for the hāngī, one for the people, and one for the hautapu. In the hautapu was kai that had been gathered—nothing had come from the shop. Again, it was the rangatahi who were responsible for the hautapu.

We adorned the trees with photos of our loved ones who had recently passed. We had a karakia around 4.30–5am, which was a Rīngatū karakia, followed by the Matariki karakia—again led by our rangatahi. By the time karakia was done and we were able to release the steam of the hautapu up to the stars and call out the names of our loved ones, those who came were able to sip on a nice hot rongoā drink or soup and rewena.

Matariki put on a show for us in the back paddock before the sun came up. The rest of the day was filled with music and laughs until the rangatahi pulled out their hāngī, which was perfectly cooked. My front yard was mushy and muddy from the week’s rain leading up to Matariki, but the atmosphere, the vibe, and the perfectly cooked hāngī were beautiful—and I was so proud of our rangatahi that day."

Pānui on behalf of Te Pahou Marae. Please direct any pātai to Christina Ngere Ngere [email protected] 👇🏾