Mānawatia a Matariki
In honour of Matariki, we chatted to our lovely Ōrākei stylist Awatea about how she celebrates the Maōri New Year with her whānau, as well as reflecting on our own gratitude & goals here at A&C.
Hi Awatea! What does Matariki mean to you?
Matariki is a cluster of 7 stars which signifies the Māori new year! It is a special time of the year for the Māori culture to come together to share stories, remember those who have passed on, share food, and to reflect and celebrate new beginnings.
How do you celebrate as a family?
There are many ways to celebrate Matariki!
My family and I share a delicious meal and reflect upon the year that has passed. When I was younger, my classmates and I used to cut out and draw star shapes! This was a really fun way to get tamariki (children) involved. On a personal level, I like to write down goals and reflect on how I could improve on becoming a better version of myself. My family and I are always super busy, so it is lovely to be able to pause and sit down all together.
How would you like to see it recognised in NZ?
Matariki becoming an official public holiday in 2022 is a huge milestone. One day, I’d just love and hope for everyone in Aotearoa to understand the importance of this time for us, and if they’d like, they are more than welcome to celebrate the day with their families by reflecting, sharing a meal or getting crafty with the kids!
This Matariki we are thinking about our own reflections & goals here at A&C:
We are grateful:
– That we live in such a wonderful country. A team of 5 million who have put in the mahi to keep our families, communities and country safe. So proud.
– That this past year has challenged us to be a better and more thoughtful business when it comes to people, products and responsibility.
Our goals for this year:
– To use Te Reo more frequently, put in the effort to pronounce Māori words correctly, and seek out opportunities for a deeper understanding of the language.
– To continuing investing time and efforts into being more thoughtful to others, ourselves and the earth. (We would love to hear of any epic local & sustainable brands you love!)
Mānawatia a Matariki!
If you’re celebrating Matariki this year, we wish you a special time with your loved ones x