To celebrate the end of term that coincides with Matariki the Year 7 students and teachers had a hangi shared lunch.

Last week Mr Brew retold the story of Matariki and talked about the traditional and modern ways of celebrating the Maori New Year. 

WHAT IS MATARIKI?

Matariki is a celebration of people, culture, language, spirituality and history. Matariki - is the star that signifies reflection, hope, our connection to the environment and the gathering of people. Matariki is also connected to the health and wellbeing of people. 

Matariki occured at the end of the harvest season. It was a time when storage houses (pātaka kai) were filled with food, and the land was at its most unproductive.

The cultivated kūmara (sweet potato) had been gathered and stored in specially prepared pits to ensure a year round supply.

People gathered together during Matariki to survive the winter months, to remember the past and plan for the New Year.

Matariki is a time for whānau, to remember those who came before us and the legacy they have left behind, and also to learn more about whakapapa (geneaology). 

Hangi :

Nau te rourou nāku te rourou, ka ora ai te iwi.

With your food basket and mine we will all feast and thrive. 

As part of these celebrations we decided to have a shared celebration Hangi to finish Term Two. Mr Brew, Mr Pitts, Mr Hunter and Mr Scott, along with some Year 7 helpers spent the Thursday afternoon digging the pit and preparing for the Hangi. At 4.00am on Friday morning they returned to light the fire and set the Hangi down at 8.00am. We joined together for a shared lunch enjoying the sunshine after a very grey week!

It was a fantastic way to finish our term. A big thank you to Mr Hunter and Mr Brew in particular for co-ordinating and sorting out everything needed to make this a success. 

Ngā mihi

Lisa Dixon

On behalf of the Year 7 Team