This year was my first time actually learning more about Matariki, and te tau hou Måori.

I feel extra blessed, as along with my 9 year old daughter we both also learned about the practices and beliefs of our tupuna from Taranaki of Puanga, as I was pretty much raised in Tūranganuiakiwa, to also go back there for the weekend to experience hautapu ki a Puanga, nō māua te whiwhi!

My girl and I then traveled back home to Te Tairawhiti and the next morning, joined by my eldest girl who was visiting from Kirikiriroa, the three of us carried out our own hautapu ki a Matariki.

Learning about all the different whetū me ngā mata ō te marama and seeing all these things with your own eyes with your children learning beside you….. priceless 😊