Every winter the rising of Puanga and Matariki signals the end of the lunar year and the beginning of the new year in Te Ao Māori. It is a time to farewell those who have passed and the things that have happened and celebrate the arrival of the new year and new opportunities.
Of great significance this Matariki, we farewell the eldest kuia in our iwi – Mary Twinnie Walker (nee Smith) who descends from Tupuna #45 Wiremu Te Mete (Smith). Aunty Mary was in her 91st year, the loved mum of Dawn Hart, Mary Landon-Lane and Mark Walker and a treasured nana to three generations of whānau.
E kui, kua haoa nei koe e te kupenga a Taramainuku, kua tōia koe ki Rarohenga, hai te rewanga o Matariki kua whetūrangitia koe ki te uma o Ranginui i te huihuinnga o te kahurangi.
Our thoughts are also with those within our whānau who are battling illness or supporting whānau through illness.
Ko Hiwa-i-te-rangi te whetū whakati- nana i ō tātau tūmanako. E Hiwa e, kia tau mai te mauri whakauruora ki runga ki te hunga e māuiui ana, e taumaha ana kia mauru ai te mamae, kia tau ai ko te ora roa.
Manawa maiea te putanga
o Matariki
Manawa maiea te ariki o te rangi
Manawa maiea te mātahi o te tau
Hail the rise of Matariki
Hail the lord of the sky
Hail the New Year
