Kua tae mai te wā o Matariki, te tau hou Māori me e whakanuia ana mātou kei te mahi Hautapu

We woke up in the early hours of the 14th Hongōngoi and drove over to the Red Zone, to Te Oraka. Mātua Keith and Mātua Bailey and the crew at Te Oraka already had a good blaze going and had cordoned off the area (Health and Safety!). We waited until most everybody had arrived and then began the ceremony. There was an explanation of what a Hautapu ceremony represented, particularly for Ngāi Tahu, and then there was reciting of the karakia to the different whetū in the Matariki constellation. There was a pause when the pot was opened to release the steam as an offering to feed the whetū. This was also a time to remember those who have passed. Then the karakia continued and when it was finished there was a small period for reflection over what might be in store for this coming year. 

Then we enjoyed a breakfast buttie and a hot cuppa and went off to enjoy our day. 

Thank you to everyone who helped to make the Hautapu ceremony happen and who turned up to take part - it is a wonderful way to start the tau hou. 

Ngā mihi.