Matariki Breakfast Celebration

Today - Thursday 21st June - the Matariki star cluster rises into our skies and signals the beginning of a month of celebration. This is a special time for us at Mairtown Kindergarten, and we marked the occasion with a delicious Matariki breakfast.

We welcomed all our children and their whanau, and thanks to Donna’s great skills in the kitchen had available a mouth-watering selection of porridge, toast, eggs, muesli, yoghurt, fruit, weet-bix and warm milo.

Roimata, our Pou Whakarewa Tikanga Maori (Maori advisor) from the Northland Kindergarten Association was able to pop in and visit us, kindly opening the celebration with a blessing.

Matariki marks the Maori New Year. The word translates as Mata Riki - Tiny Eyes, or Mata Ariki - Eyes of God.

“During Matariki we celebrate our unique place in the world.

We give respect to the whenua on which we live,

and admiration to our mother earth Papatūānuku.

Throughout Matariki we learn about those who came before us.

Our history. Our family. Our bones.

Matariki signals growth.

It’s a time of change.

It’s a time to prepare, and a time of action.

During Matariki we acknowledge what we have

and what we have to give.

Matariki celebrates the diversity of life.

It’s a celebration of culture, language, spirit and people.

Matariki is our

Aotearoa Pacific New Year.”

“I te wā o Matariki, ka whakanui tātou i tō tātou mana motuhake i tēnei ao.

He manaaki i te whenua e noho nei tātou i runga, he mïharo ki tō tātou whaea, ki a Papatūānuku.

I te roanga atu o Matariki, ka ako tātou i ngā āhuatanga ō rātou mā kua hoki ki te kāinga tūturu.

Ko ngā mahi me ngā kōrero o mua. Ko ō tātou heke. Ko ō tātou wheinga.

Ko Matariki te tohu o te tupu.

He wā e puta kē ai.

He wā whakariterite, he wā kōkiri kaupapa.

I te wā o Matariki, he mahara atawhai ki ngā taonga kei a tātou inaianei,hei koha atu hoki a taihoa.

He whakanui a Matariki i ngā tini ähuatanga o te oranga.

He whakanui hoki i te tikanga, i te reo, i te wairua me te iwi.

Ko Matariki tō Aotearoa tau hou.”

(Source: http://www.matarikievents.co.nz/)

 

It was so lovely to welcome all our whanau and friends into Kindergarten today and catch up over some kai - we had a great turn out. Thank you to everyone for helping make this morning such a special occasion for our children (and of course for us teachers too!)



Here is a slideshow of some more photographs from today's breakfast for you to enjoy.



Christine