Matariki fun in Northland helps mental health on dark days ...
28 Jun, 2024 05:00 PM3 mins to read
Lisa Lu, Savanah Erdos and Tiree Gilroy from Circus Kumarani add colour and lumination to the Light and Lantern Parade. Photo / Michael Cunningham
Matariki festivities in Northland have helped to put smiles on people’s faces despite the dark midwinter days.
Events on Friday - the official Matariki public holiday - included Whangārei’s Light and Lantern Parade and market, Light Up Hikurangi and ice-skating at Waipu on Ice.
While Friday may have been the highlight of the calendar, there are still plenty of Puanga Matariki and winter festival activities to come.
Around 500 people took part in the inaugural Light and Lantern Parade in Whangārei, from Bascule Park to a night market in the Town Basin.
Strings of LED lights, large 3D lanterns homemade from cane and tissue, and simple kids’ paper lanterns with small lights inside helped to light the way on the clear and crisp the evening.
One of the organisers, Tania Whetū, said it’s important to have fun events in the cold time of the year.
“It’s bringing people together to celebrate community, celebrate Matariki and mark the passing of the winter solstice.
“The lanterns help to acknowledge that there are lots of different cultures which celebrate winter events - it’s important for our mental health in the cold time of year.”
The event’s lantern-making workshops for adults were all fully booked, said Whetū, who used some inspiration from the Dunedin Midwinter Carnival they were previously involved in.
The event was organised with the help of Volunteering Northland and got funding from Whangārei District Council’s Puanga Matariki Festival, they said.
The activities culminated with a fire show by Phoenix Fire Flow and Circus.
In Waipu, more than 200 people pre-ordered a hangī meal as part of the Puanga Matariki Celebration, which featured a story on te ao Māori and the history of Whangārei by Joby Hopa from Hātea Kapa Haka.
In Waipu’s Celtic Barn there was also plenty of fun, with an artificial ice-skating rink set up until Sunday.
Robin de Goeij from Differenz, the company running Waipu on Ice, said it was catering to all ages with a sold-out curling event on Thursday night, family fun with ice-skating during the day, plus a disco at night.
The events are all part of the two-month Waipu Winter Festival, said Elijah Purnell from Promote Waipu.
While the cost-of-living crisis has meant people have less money for activities, the organisers have tried to keep prices low, such as the ice-skating starting from $5 per child, he said.
The activities continue through July, finishing with the Waipu Surf Club Mid-Winter Swim on July 28.
Denise Piper is a news reporter for the Northern Advocate, focusing on health and business. She has more than 20 years in journalism and is passionate about covering stories that make a difference.
