This year Matariki (Māori New Year) falls in the second week of the July school holidays. This is a time to celebrate wānaka (learning) and whanaukataka (community spirit).

In Ōtepoti Dunedin we usually celebrate the Māori New Year through a diverse citywide programme of community events. In a normal year, communities will gather to celebrate the season at shared feasts, fun and educational programmes, and through a wide range of Mātauraka Māori and Toi Māori events.But this is not a normal year…Keeping our hāpori safe from COVID-19 is our number one priority.For this reason, the PMF Steering Roopū have decided the rāhui will extend to the Festival.This year, the Dunedin Puaka Matariki Festival will not be delivered kanohi ki te kanohi.Instead, knowledge will be shared and our community will come together virtually, through our website and other online and broadcast media.This year, the Dunedin Puaka Matariki Festival will be celebrated online from Monday 13 July to Monday 20 July.This differs from recently published dates, and follows tohunga kōkōrangi Rangi Matamua’s maramataka of the tika lunar phase to celebrate the rising of the Matariki star cluster.Please share this pānui with everyone who'd like to know about this decision, and check in regularly for updates. Me toro ki ētahi atu https://www.matarikidunedin.co.nz/rahui-extends-to-puaka-matariki-festival/

(Copied from the Puaka Matariki Festival Facebook page).