Mānawatia a Matariki

Mānawatia a Matariki - Happy Māori New Year!

Matariki is an important time in our whānau, which is why we chose to launch our business in line with the New Year, to signify new beginnings for our tau (year) ahead.

Matariki is a time to reflect on the past, and our ancestors who came before us, to celebrate the present with kai, and time with our whānau, and to look ahead and plan for the future.

Dr Rangi Matamua describes Matariki as being, “about sharing and collectivity, coming together. It’s about the environment and giving back to the environment and being thankful. It is about aroha, manaakitanga, kai, whanaungatanga, and all of those good things that make people who they are. The best things that make us who we are.”

The three major principles that guide Matariki are:

• remembrance — honouring those who have died since the last rising of Matariki
• celebrating the present — gathering together with family and friends
• looking to the future — looking forward to the promise of a new year.

To honour and breath tikanga (Māori principles and beliefs) into our pakihi (business), we have chosen to align the launch of our business into the market with the New Year. For us this signified the deep connection we have to our whānau (family), our whenua (land), and our whakapapa (ancestry). We want our pakihi to be aligned in tikanga, as this is how we live our lives collectively as a whānau. We are deeply engrained in learning our whakapapa, reclaiming and learning te reo and actively keeping these practices alive for our future generations.

Ngā mihi nui wāhine mā for choosing yourself, for choosing your whānau, and choosing to place your trust in us to grow, support and lift one another as mana wāhine. Mānawatia a Matariki!