Kua pānuihia ngā kaitono i angitu ā rātou tono pūtea hei tautoko i te iwi Māori ki te whakaora mai anō, ki te whakatinana anō i ngā mātauranga mō Matariki o te hau kāinga.
The successful applicants for a fund that supports iwi Māori to regenerate and practice local mātauranga Matariki have been announced.
The Matariki Ahunga Nui initiative was launched by Te Arawhiti – the Office for Māori Crown Relations in early 2022 to recognise the role of mātauranga Māori in celebrating the country’s new public holiday
A total of 60 applicants have been awarded funding for kaupapa across the motu that will range from marae based wānanga that explore traditional Matariki ceremonies to albums promoting Matariki waiata that tell stories about the stars.
“There are a number of people, kaupapa and iwi who have been working hard over decades to ensure the specialised mātauranga embodying Matariki is not lost,” Māori Crown Relations: Te Arawhiti Minister Kelvin Davis said.
“Matariki is a time for us to remember the past, celebrate the present, and plan for the future. The regional spread of events helped by this funding will build on the next generation’s understanding of Matariki.” Kelvin Davis said.
Funding was available for iwi Māori to develop resources and host events that focus on building greater awareness of te kāhui o Matariki.
“We have Māori community groups telling us about the amazing things that will be happening across the motu. It’s hard not to be excited.” says Professor Rangi Mātāmua, Chief Advisor Mātauranga Matariki and Chair of the Matariki Advisory Group.