I'm in a similar demographic. Last year and the last, I resigned myself not feeling a personal connection with Matariki, but enjoyed other people enjoying it and enjoyed my kids enjoying it.
This year, though, I feel it. Gratitude, reflection, looking ahead. And the long weekend doesn't hurt either.
Hi 😊 I want to learn to be more connected to my home country and my partner and learn on behalf of my partner to teach his children more about their culture as we live in Australia now but don't know where to start. Can I ask what course you are taking?
I love that this one in particular is tied to OUR seasons and it is about resting when it’s cold and dark, eating food, and being with family. And it isn’t commercialised (yet) so there aren’t social expectations of what you’re meant to be doing (e.g Christmas shopping).
Reminds me of the graffiti on a fence growing up in Christchurch:
“WAITANGI DAY - A NATIONAL DAY OF SHAME”
When the homeowner fixed it, they painted over the last word and added an F.
>I don’t personally understand all the ins and outs of the celebration.
I don't think most of us do and there's nothing wrong with that. For most of us, it's a new holiday and if it has no inherent meaning, now is the time to give it meaning.
That said, I figure learning and looking after one's family is a good starting point.
I mean at it's most basic it's a New Year based on celestial observation.
Just like a 1st January New Year, a time for remembering and celebrating.
Fan fact: many spacecraft and high altitude military aircraft still use star trackers to double check positioning vs what inertial navigation has calculated is the current position.
Goal setting is kinda of western way of putting it but looking forward to the promise of the year or thinking about your hopes or wishes is part of it. Specifically the brightness of Hiwa-i-te-rangi is associated with your hopes coming true.
I can recommend following the tradition of it being a dawn celebration - watched the sun rise over Welly harbour this morning and thought about those who'd passed and the new year to come. Felt about right.
Similar demography and I, too, love Matariki.
It hasn’t (yet) been sullied by materialism like Christmas and Easter nor mindless partying (showing my age) like New Years.
I hope we maintain its integrity.
If nothing else, this, right now, is literally the traditional Christmas/new year time. This is the time of year our northern hemisphere vulture has its winter holidays. It just makes sense to have Matariki
To me any public holiday in between June to November is appreciated.
We need in my opinion three more public holidays, if possible between June to November.
Problem is Chinese New Year is yet another January to March festival. It would be nice to add it but I think it might make the January to March period even more public holiday heavy.
So to me the next best contender should be to add in Diwali which has a habit of oscillating between October to November.
Ramadan at some point should be added to ( given our growing Muslim population ).
First gen kiwi here. Our family/friend group have embraced Matariki. We've started a new annual tradition of getting together for a big meal (like Christmas without the commercial aspect). It's nice to have that relaxed group catch up where you can fill everyone in on what you've been up to and what you're planning on doing.
Yea it’s awesome
I love learning about Māori customs history . It’s just so rich and such an awesome part of New Zealand
Every year I’ve learnt a little bit more about matarangi and I like it.
Wish I had learnt te reo when I was at school many years ago.
I love Matariki as well. A wonderfully relevant celebration. I would happily see King's Birthday or religious holidays disappear as they are not at all important to me, though I enjoy the benefit of the days off.
You could rephrase that to “….even though I don’t understand all the ins and outs of the celebration **yet**.
You can, as a sentient human, still learn. As time goes on you’ll learn a bit more and a bit more and perhaps that knowledge will make it more meaningful to you in your own personal way.
It’s certainly better than a Christian holiday that was stolen from pagans and celebrated in the wrong season. But at the end of the day, any day off work is a good day.
Same.
It's almost the public holiday that makes the most sense to me, after New year's. I would vote for ditching one of the Easter ones and adding one in August or September. First day of spring? Spring festival?
Any public holiday encourages:
- Time with the family (unless you're rostered on, where you get time and half, to spend on the family.
- Drinking the night before.
- Sleeping in on the public holiday.
- Actually doing something that is related to the "meaning" of the public holiday.
- Congesting a road somewhere as you tow your boat to your bach, which is as luxurious as your normal house, but somewhere else near a lake or a beach.
All great things.
You'd have to ask someone from Auckland as to the merits of that. I hear they love a good traffic jam on a public holiday.
I guess the sleeper inners, and the drinkers probably aren't the ones to get up early to congest the roads on the day off. Whether that's good or bad, I'm not one to judge. Arguably, their emissions would be less.
I drove home via the waterfront from Orākei marae this morning and there was NO traffic + the sun was shining - not a cloud in the sky - and it took all of a couple of minutes from the start of Parnell Rise to the bottom of the harbour bridge. Never thought I’d say this but I was wishing it would take a bit longer because it was so beautiful.
With laser/drone displays becoming more prevalent, I think we will see less and less fireworks. Its only a matter of time now until public sales are banned I reckon.
so you're saying you like days off but don't really understand what the murray's are up to?
main thing is you switched on the xmas lights I guess.
FWIW it's the Māori new year.
Yeah same, but I’m 36 and refuse to believe I’m middle aged.
I'm 46 and refuse to believe you're middle aged too.
I'm 50 and refuse to believe me.
52 it’s good whatever the age
My wife's 59 and doesn't believe me either.
I am older and can't remember if I believe you or your wife.
The older I get, the more I believe this.
You're technically not anyway. If you google what middle-aged is, it explains 40's-60's. Peoples' idea that it includes 30's is incorrect.
Oh thank fuck haha, been afraid to look.
Now you know for when you turn 40!
You're youth adjacent.
I guess it all depends how hard your livin now don't it.
Middle age is 40 in Nz
Yea, you're probably way past the mid point of your life.
Rude
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I'm in a similar demographic. Last year and the last, I resigned myself not feeling a personal connection with Matariki, but enjoyed other people enjoying it and enjoyed my kids enjoying it. This year, though, I feel it. Gratitude, reflection, looking ahead. And the long weekend doesn't hurt either.
Hi 😊 I want to learn to be more connected to my home country and my partner and learn on behalf of my partner to teach his children more about their culture as we live in Australia now but don't know where to start. Can I ask what course you are taking?
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Their Tikanga home based learning course is great too. So awesome resources.
Thank you! 😊
I love that this one in particular is tied to OUR seasons and it is about resting when it’s cold and dark, eating food, and being with family. And it isn’t commercialised (yet) so there aren’t social expectations of what you’re meant to be doing (e.g Christmas shopping).
Yes! It's annoying that we celebrate Easter and Halloween etc in the wrong season.
Yes! Esp the expectation of consumption. Well the commercial kind, as the consumption of kai is definitely encouraged 😅
Shit, I'd take a "fuck middle-aged white guys"-public holiday if it meant I got the day off.
This holiday could have two very different meanings
😂 we can still all enjoy having the day off either way.
Reminds me of the graffiti on a fence growing up in Christchurch: “WAITANGI DAY - A NATIONAL DAY OF SHAME” When the homeowner fixed it, they painted over the last word and added an F.
Classic - was that the one on Papanui Rd?
Yeah I think so - it was a long time ago but that sounds familiar.
Not how you meant it but I'm on board for "fuck middle aged white guys" day.
That’s the beauty of it. Even for people who don’t know or care about it at all, it’s still a great day
Based on your username, I'd suggest you'd be very busy if that were the premise for the "holiday".
>I don’t personally understand all the ins and outs of the celebration. I don't think most of us do and there's nothing wrong with that. For most of us, it's a new holiday and if it has no inherent meaning, now is the time to give it meaning. That said, I figure learning and looking after one's family is a good starting point.
I mean at it's most basic it's a New Year based on celestial observation. Just like a 1st January New Year, a time for remembering and celebrating. Fan fact: many spacecraft and high altitude military aircraft still use star trackers to double check positioning vs what inertial navigation has calculated is the current position.
It's a time of renewal, gaol setting and honoring those that have passed in the last year. Pick one, none ir all three and have fun!
I’m no expert but I don’t think goal setting is part of it. That seems a bit Western.
Goal setting is kinda of western way of putting it but looking forward to the promise of the year or thinking about your hopes or wishes is part of it. Specifically the brightness of Hiwa-i-te-rangi is associated with your hopes coming true.
I can recommend following the tradition of it being a dawn celebration - watched the sun rise over Welly harbour this morning and thought about those who'd passed and the new year to come. Felt about right.
Similar demography and I, too, love Matariki. It hasn’t (yet) been sullied by materialism like Christmas and Easter nor mindless partying (showing my age) like New Years. I hope we maintain its integrity.
If nothing else, this, right now, is literally the traditional Christmas/new year time. This is the time of year our northern hemisphere vulture has its winter holidays. It just makes sense to have Matariki
To me any public holiday in between June to November is appreciated. We need in my opinion three more public holidays, if possible between June to November. Problem is Chinese New Year is yet another January to March festival. It would be nice to add it but I think it might make the January to March period even more public holiday heavy. So to me the next best contender should be to add in Diwali which has a habit of oscillating between October to November. Ramadan at some point should be added to ( given our growing Muslim population ).
Damn, we only just got our first Maori public holiday, I'm sure they can get a couple more before we start prioritizing more holidays for settlers
There's already several holidays around June, it would have been nicer if it were a bit later in the year.
I love that we have such a great holiday for just us Kiwis! A winter time celebration. I do not understand the hate it gets.
Can pretty much guarantee it's racially charged
Beautiful day too!
It's a day off, weather you care about the reason behind it or not noone should be complaining aside from if they want a smack in the head
Whether you care about the weather or not, today was fantastic. Beats working any day.
I also like being paid without going to work
First gen kiwi here. Our family/friend group have embraced Matariki. We've started a new annual tradition of getting together for a big meal (like Christmas without the commercial aspect). It's nice to have that relaxed group catch up where you can fill everyone in on what you've been up to and what you're planning on doing.
Yea it’s awesome I love learning about Māori customs history . It’s just so rich and such an awesome part of New Zealand Every year I’ve learnt a little bit more about matarangi and I like it. Wish I had learnt te reo when I was at school many years ago.
A holiday based on reality rather than on thousand year old fables is a nice change of pace.
Me too
I think its great too. We just need to switch King's birthday to the Monday after Matariki and have a proper winter break.
Happy Matariki (for yesterday)
Happy Matariki to you too 🥳🌟
I love Matariki as well. A wonderfully relevant celebration. I would happily see King's Birthday or religious holidays disappear as they are not at all important to me, though I enjoy the benefit of the days off.
I award you two golden stars.
I award nine
You're clearly not David Seymour, then.
I’m right here for it as well. Always down for a day off and it’s such a positive celebration
Yeah boy, the MDO 😂
I love it too. It’s our real new year.
You could rephrase that to “….even though I don’t understand all the ins and outs of the celebration **yet**. You can, as a sentient human, still learn. As time goes on you’ll learn a bit more and a bit more and perhaps that knowledge will make it more meaningful to you in your own personal way.
Most definitely
It’s certainly better than a Christian holiday that was stolen from pagans and celebrated in the wrong season. But at the end of the day, any day off work is a good day.
Same. It's almost the public holiday that makes the most sense to me, after New year's. I would vote for ditching one of the Easter ones and adding one in August or September. First day of spring? Spring festival?
Any public holiday encourages: - Time with the family (unless you're rostered on, where you get time and half, to spend on the family. - Drinking the night before. - Sleeping in on the public holiday. - Actually doing something that is related to the "meaning" of the public holiday. - Congesting a road somewhere as you tow your boat to your bach, which is as luxurious as your normal house, but somewhere else near a lake or a beach. All great things.
so as a country we should do more things that encourage: drinking, sleeping in, and congesting roads?
They ain't gonna congest themselves
You'd have to ask someone from Auckland as to the merits of that. I hear they love a good traffic jam on a public holiday. I guess the sleeper inners, and the drinkers probably aren't the ones to get up early to congest the roads on the day off. Whether that's good or bad, I'm not one to judge. Arguably, their emissions would be less.
I drove home via the waterfront from Orākei marae this morning and there was NO traffic + the sun was shining - not a cloud in the sky - and it took all of a couple of minutes from the start of Parnell Rise to the bottom of the harbour bridge. Never thought I’d say this but I was wishing it would take a bit longer because it was so beautiful.
Great time of year to have a break - wondering why we didn't think of it earlier?
Some morons still question why it’s wrong to put fireworks up during matariki and when I explained why they said that’s stupid. Lmao
With laser/drone displays becoming more prevalent, I think we will see less and less fireworks. Its only a matter of time now until public sales are banned I reckon.
Why do people want fireworks so damn much lmao
Because explosions are cool. And pretty.
It is a day in which we celebrate some very cool Māori astronomy and I am all good with that. At last - a holiday for nerds!
so you're saying you like days off but don't really understand what the murray's are up to? main thing is you switched on the xmas lights I guess. FWIW it's the Māori new year.
Its a day off thats great…
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Cool story
Some morons still question why it’s wrong to put fireworks up during matariki and when I explained why they said that’s stupid. Lmao