In a first for Aotearoa New Zealand, on 24 June 2022 we experienced our first public holiday to celebrate Matariki, which is the first appearance of a series of stars in our northeast horizon, indicating a time to celebrate the Māori new year or Te Tau Hou, a time for reflection and celebration, a time to think about the people that have passed in the previous 12 months, and do one final harvest before winter.

Matariki is the most significant event on the Māori calendar. When the Matariki cluster also known as The Pleiades rises mid- winter, Māori welcome winter and the start of a new year.

Matariki Arrowtown Lights was a three-day cultural event that took place in the heart of Arrowtown.

It involved visual storytelling, stunning light displays and projections down Buckingham Street. Buckingham Street was lit up with light installations and displays by the South Island Light Orchestra (SILO). Arrowtown Museum hosted an art exhibition “Stories of Matariki” by students of Arrowtown Primary School.

One of the world’s pre-eminent astrophysicists, Prof Brian Boyle shared the wonders of the clear Otago night skies, and his photographs of Matariki in an interactive session next to the Arrowtown Museum.

Dorothy Brown played a series of movies as part of the Māori Film Festival including Whale Rider, Hunt for the Wilderpeople, Waru, and Whina.