Enjoy the night sky this Matariki with an array of events across the region:
Featherston
9th July – Evening Matariki market and cross creek railway Waisky express night rides and star gazing. Star hunt for kids
11th July – Booktown winter word – morning children’s event with Vasanti Unker. Afternoon Naomi Arnold author of Southern Nights is now canceled.
Stories project with Fab Feathy.
Iwi stories recorded with children reading replicating Ka Pai project
Carterton
Star Safari Planetarium
In the Rangatahi Hub, Saturdays come and learn where to find Matariki in the sky, what are the stars made of, fly with us through the Matariki cluster. Discover the Universe from our planetarium dome.
www.star-safari.nz/planetarium-shows
Star Safari
Every Friday and Saturday come for a Star Safari to discover the night sky from Wairarapa
15 and under free https://star-safari.nz/stargazing-in-wairarapa/
Reap
Hosting an event at the Gladstone Marae with Ra Smith and Becky Bateman
Stonehenge Aotearoa
Winter solstice events
Under the Stars
is running the Space Race event as part of the Winter festival and will feature Matariki questions.
Greytown
A free star gazing night at Stella Bull Park July 17th (Under the stars are coordinating this event)
A ticketed presentation (Matariki – The Story) will be offered in the Town Hall on Saturday 03 July & Friday 09 July with matariki merchandise available a Papawai Marae initiative.
Martinborough
Medici cafe
Medici lectures will feature two dark sky themed talks in July.
15 July – Tom Love The Mysterious life of Stars
22 July – Richard HallThe Island Earth
Tickets $20 includes mulled wine and nibblesDoors open 6.30pm talk starts at 7pmEvery Friday there will also be a meal inspired by Maori cuisine and taken from HiaKai by Monique Fiso.
Hau Ariki Marae
will be hosting a community event.
Masterton
Aratoi – Within the Hours of Darkness – Astrophotography | Aratoi — Wairarapa Museum of Art and History
Six photographers come together to show the beauty of the Wairarapa night sky from their own perspectives. The projections celebrate darkness, the depths of Winter and the shortest day marked by the rising of the star cluster Matariki. Artists include Glen Butler, Sharisse Eberlein, Mark Gee, Rebecca Kempton, Pete Monk and John Whitby. Opening: Friday 2 July, 5.30pm, Aratoi, Wairarapa Museum of Art and History
Aratoi, Wairarapa Museum of Art and History provides high quality experiences of art, history and culture at its gallery in Masterton.Matariki at Pūkaha
Across Matariki, Pūkaha will be showcasing its rich Māori heritage.
Go on their two-hour cultural tour, Te Hīkoi o Pūkaha and learn about Māori kōrero (stories), traditions and mythology from the ngahere (forest). Finishes with fry bread and Kawakawa tea. Available during weekends. Book via their website: Pukaha.org.nz Adults $65, Children $32.50. Maybe take a stroll to the whare whakairo (carving studio) and talk to kai whakairo (carvers) tapping out carvings for the reserve. The whare is free to access and located just to the right of the Visitor Centre (when you look at it) next to the carpark. Also free to enter it is the centre’s Kākā Café. During Matariki from the 19th of June until the end of July the cafe will run some specials inspired by Māori cuisine. Try their kumara, pork and watercress pie or the secret recipe mussel fritters. Younger diners might be game enough to try The Milky Matariki Way Drink-shake. A designer concoction whose appearance mimics the nightsky! Enter the reserve and whānau can see the new pou (signposts) that whakapapa to atua (gods), ancestors and the creatures of the forest. Rukuhia ngā whetu o Matariki – Find the stars of Matariki that are hidden in the ngahere (forest). Learn about each star and go in the prizedraw to win some awesome prizes. Visitors to the centre can also leave messages of hope, celebration or remembrance at the harakeke whetu (flax star) nightscape display that will be set up at the Visitor Centre from the 19th of June until the end of July.
Cross region
Waisky rocks – kids project paint your wai sky themed rocks to hide in parks #Stepoutlookup campaign aimed to get people out and enjoying what is accessible right on our doorstep. share your images and experiences
