Matariki week is being celebrated from June 30th to July 4th at the Manukua City Council libraries. Matariki week is a celebration of Maori knowledge, and a way to teach both adults and children about Matariki and its significance to the Maori. Matariki is a star cluster, also known as Pleiades, that heralds the beginning of the Maori New Year. Matariki has historically been a navigational tool and a way to predict and plan for the coming harvest. Matariki is a time for traditional learning, and the festival includes Maori storytellers and artisans, weaving and carving demonstrations, and whakapapa (genealogy) tracing.
