What is Matariki? A guide to the Māori New Year, how to celebrate and what to cook
Photography Te Papa, Wellington Museum, Christchurch City Libraries, Karangahape Road.
Matariki is one of the most significant moments in the calendar here in Aotearoa New Zealand, marking te Mātahi o te Tau (Māori New Year)
The name refers to the star cluster known around the world as Pleiades, which forms part of the larger Taurus constellation. It is one of the earliest recorded star groups in human history, with records dating back thousands of years, and is known by many names across different cultures. In Japan, it is called Subaru, meaning “to come together” and in Greek mythology, it is known as the Seven Sisters.
For Māori, the rising of Matariki in the early morning sky signals a time to gather, reflect and look ahead. It is a moment to remember loved ones who have passed, celebrate the present and plan for the future.
Matariki appears during the coldest part of the year. The star cluster disappears from view around the beginning of winter, before rising again on the eastern horizon just before sunrise. Traditionally, this was a time when the busy work of the year had slowed. The harvest had been gathered, food was stored for winter and communities could come together. When Matariki rose, it was a time to farewell the dead, spend time with loved ones, share kai (food) tell stories, sing waiata (songs, chants, hymns, lullabies) and welcome the New Year.
How we can celebrate Matariki in 2026
We can mark Matariki by attending a local event, rising early to see the stars, lighting a candle for loved ones, sharing stories with whānau (family), taking part in community celebrations or preparing a meal to enjoy with others.
Kai has always been central to Matariki. The season follows the harvest, when food was traditionally gathered and stored for the colder months ahead. Today, sharing kai remains one of the most meaningful ways to celebrate, whether through a quiet dinner at home, a long lunch with friends or a generous table of dishes made to share.
Explore our Matariki-inspired recipe collection HERE
Across Aotearoa, Matariki is marked with dawn ceremonies, exhibitions, performances, workshops, markets, storytelling, music and whānau-friendly events.
Matariki events to attend in Auckland
SkyCity Matariki Night Markets and Sky Tower projections
Auckland | 3–19 July 2026
SkyCity will bring Matariki to the heart of Tāmaki Makaurau with food, art, performance and celebration. The Sky Tower will be lit from 4–9 July to mark the rising of Matariki, with special projections on 10 July featuring original animated artworks by Māori artists, before lighting continues from 12–19 July.
The Matariki Night Markets return to SkyCity Plaza from 4pm to 10pm on 3, 4, 10 and 11 July, with free entry, Māori and Pasifika food vendors, live entertainment, kapa haka, workshops and temporary moko. The wider programme also includes sunrise yoga on the Sky Tower’s Main Observation Deck and a special Matariki dining experience at Metita.
Tūhono Matariki Dinner at SO/ Auckland
Auckland | 2–4 July 2026
For a special Matariki dinner in Tāmaki Makaurau, Chef Rex Morgan joins forces with Hāngī Master Rewi Spraggon for the Tūhono Matariki Dinner at Harbour Society, SO/ Auckland. Running across three nights, the à-la-carte takeover brings fine dining together with ancient Māori cooking techniques, with dishes including Watercress and Hāngī Potato Vichyssoise, Pressed Tītī and Pork, Horopito Beef Cheek with Kawakawa pumpkin purée, Fry Bread with golden syrup butter and Hāngī Steamed Pudding with pineapple salsa, custard and banana butterscotch.
Bookings are available between 6pm and 9pm, from 2–4 July 2026, at Harbour Society, Level 15, SO/ Auckland, 67 Customs Street East, Auckland.
Te Karanga-a-Hape Matariki
Karangahape Road, Auckland | Thursday 9 July 2026
Karangahape Road will transform into a free Matariki celebration of music, art, kai and community, with a special road closure from 5pm to 10pm. Expect live performances from Ladi6, Halfqueen, Mā with full band and more, alongside kapa haka, spoken word, fire pits, crafting areas and large-scale Matariki art installations.
Free entry, find out more here
Te Kaahu’s Sea to Sky Matariki Menu
Pullman Auckland Airport | 6–13 July 2026
Te Kaahu Restaurant at Te Arikinui Pullman Auckland Airport is celebrating Matariki with a three-course, hāngī-inspired menu created with Hāngī Master Rewi Spraggon. The menu includes fried bread and whitebait fritters, slow-cooked hāngī beef short rib with buttered potatoes, watercress chimichurri and traditional hāngī stuffing, followed by burnt sugar steamed pudding with vanilla cream and cashew nut brittle.
The menu is $85 per person, or $135 with matched wines.
Matariki events to attend in Wellington
Matariki 2026 at Te Papa
Te Papa, Wellington | Until 13 July 2026
Te Papa is marking Matariki with exhibitions, whānau-friendly events and seasonal café specials inspired by the flavours of Aotearoa, offering a thoughtful way to learn more about te Mātahi o te Tau.
Matariki Ahi Kā
Wellington Waterfront | 9–12 July 2026
Wellington’s waterfront will come alive for Matariki Ahi Kā, a free, whānau-friendly walk-through event with fire, projections, live performances, kai courts and a nightly ceremony honouring loved ones who have passed.
Matariki at Space Place
Space Place, Wellington | Dates vary
Space Place is celebrating the rising of Puanga and Matariki with a programme of star-focused events and activities, including planetarium experiences and Matariki star talks.
Matariki events to attend in Christchurch
Tātai Whetū, Tātai Tangata
Christchurch Central City | 8–11 July 2026
Formerly known as Tīrama Mai, Tātai Whetū, Tātai Tangata brings four evenings of light, art, storytelling and celebration to central Christchurch, with events around Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetū, Worcester Boulevard, Oxford Terrace and The Arts Centre.
Free event. Find out more here
Matariki 2026 at The Arts Centre
Christchurch | 4–12 July 2026
Te Matatiki Toi Ora The Arts Centre will celebrate Matariki with live performances, visual art, kapa haka, wānanga (workshops), a night mākete and more across its central city precinct.
Mānawatia a Matariki mā Puaka
Christchurch City Libraries | Until 6 July 2026
Christchurch City Libraries are marking Matariki and Puaka with free events across the city, including storytimes, after-school activities, community planting days, whānau days, craft sessions and food-focused events.
This article references information sourced from the University of Otago website and Te Papa Tongarewa’s guide to Matariki.
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In Dream Escape, we journey from Japan and Morocco to Italy, India and beyond, sharing recipes inspired by travel, heritage and comfort. We celebrate the champions of the Outstanding Food Producer Awards, explore the stories and recipes of chefs shaped by their cultural roots, and warm up with everything from West African soups and slow-braised lamb to porchetta, butter chicken and beef noodle soup. Alongside destination menus, Scandinavian sweets and cosy pub classics, Chrisanne Terblanche shares her favourite street-side dining spots in Bangkok, while Yvonne Lorkin explores red wine varietals. This issue, we invite you to slow down, turn the pages and escape through food.