This is the first year my tamariki and i have attempted to try and partake in Matariki celebrations. We've taken our inspiration from our whaanau back in Aotearoa, especially the koorero from Dr. Rangi Mataamua. We are still new in understanding a lot about Matariki but took what information we had and made it our own. Our whaanau currently reside in Perth, Western Australia. To celebrate, my tamariki and I headed to the moana just before sunset and took lanterns down with us. We wrote messages of love to our whaanau who had passed the year of on one side, and wrote our goals and aspirations for the year that is to be on the other. I did a very short karakia (our reo journey is in its' infancy stages) including the kaikoohau on the website. We spent a little while walking through the subtle waves lapping the shoreline asking the kids to explain to me what matariki means to them. For me, this is important as both my tamariki were born here in Perth. We then come home to a beautiful kai shared as a whaanau. Roast pork, slow cooked lamb with all the trimming. Kai reka! ! ! (sorry we didn't capture any photos of us doing this. I didn't think to take any pictures but will remember to next year)