Aquinas students heralded Matariki 2023 with a range of creative and culinary activities to welcome the Māori New Year.

Our Year 13 Tikanga class planned, prepared and provided a June 29 hangi for 50-odd friends and family. Students spent the day peeling vegetables, preparing pork belly and chicken, and heating the fire pit before laying the hangi and delivering a fantastic meal to guests three hours later.

Our Year 7 students, meanwhile, funnelled their culinary skills into creating Matariki Star Cookies. (Recipe attached below.) Elsewhere in the school, our Year 9P class and Year 10 Science students constructed manu tukutuku (traditional Māori kites).

And Mrs Graham’s Year 7 class created artworks inspired by Witi Ihimaera’s book ‘The Astromancer.’ Students also made amazing Matariki stop-motion videos!