OK, so it’s not related to humanitarian work or TEAR Fund all that much, but I reckon Matariki deserves all the support it can get here in Aotearoa/New Zealand.

The mayor of Waitekere, Bob Harvey, has come out in favour of creating a public holiday to celebrate Matariki, the time known as the traditional Maori new year. It seems that the Maori Party has been drafting a bill to put forward the same idea.

Matariki refers to the group of stars we generally know as the Pleiades star cluster. The word has two meanings – Mata Riki (Tiny Eyes) and Mata Ariki (Eyes of God). The visibility of Matariki was thought to be a determinant for the coming years crop.

The celebration of the new year would normally last for three days after the rising of the new moon following Matariki becoming visible, though various tribes would choose to celebrate at slightly different times – but all around the visibility of Matariki.

Matariki has become a time of significance as it represents a resurgence in understandings of Maori culture and it provides a focal point for education to occur. It is unique to Aotearoa/New Zealand.

I am greatly in favour of the idea of having a public holiday to celebrate Matariki as it has the ability to be a great developer of our unique identity as Kiwis.

Currently we have a holiday to celebrate the birthday of the Queen on a day that is not even her birthday. How connected are most Kiwis to the British monarchy? Don’t get me wrong, I don’t discount the British heritage that our country connects to, but we have the opportunity to move towards something entirely unique to us and if this comes down to needing to drop one public holiday for the creation of another, we can still respect the monarchy without needing a public holiday to do so.

Why the idea of dropping one to create another? Well it seems that our Prime Minister is against creating a public holiday for Matariki because it would not help the economy – because that’s all that matters in the well being of our country (note the sarcasm). According to the Herald he joked about having a public holiday for his own birthday… as if the two suggestions might be on a par with one another.

The Herald then quotes the advisory services manager of the Employees and Manufacturers Association dismissing the idea because of the cost.

With the concerns of these two men in play, I’m willing to put my hand up in favour of a compromise that would see Queen’s Birthday dropped as a public holiday in favour of instituting Matariki as a public holiday to celebrate something unique to our country. Thus it would cost no more to celebrate Matariki than it does to celebrate the birthday of the head of the British Monarchy on a day that is not her birthday. The economy, at worst, would come out even.

On the economic note – which do we think might have more tourism appeal – celebrating the Queen’s birthday or pushing Matariki to the fore with some amazing celebrations during the middle of our winter? It’s not rocket science.

When is Matariki? Now, so enjoy it Aotearoa. Celebrate what it means to be Kiwi and lets put our hand up in favour of the possibility of a festive celebration that is uniquely us.

Related posts:

1. Colonial Cast Offs
2. Te Hurihanga – Examining the Costs
3. Aotearoa Tax Reform and the Maori Party