Matariki marks the Māori New Year and is one of the most significant cultural celebrations in Aotearoa New Zealand. It is observed when the Matariki star cluster — known in Western astronomy as the Pleiades — rises on the horizon in mid-winter, signalling a time of remembrance, reflection and new beginnings. Since 2022, Matariki has been an official New Zealand public holiday, making it the only public holiday in the world that celebrates an indigenous astronomical event.

Across the country, communities mark Matariki with dawn ceremonies, hāngī, kapa haka performances, stargazing events, art exhibitions, light shows and community gatherings. In Auckland, Wellington, Rotorua and many other centres, councils and iwi host multi-week programmes that bring together Māori and non-Māori communities in shared celebration. The festival season typically runs from late June through mid-July, with the public holiday falling on a Friday closest to the rising of Matariki.

For visitors and locals alike, Matariki is one of the most meaningful times to experience Māori culture in Aotearoa. It is a season that honours those who have passed, celebrates the living, and looks forward to the year ahead — a deeply human celebration rooted in the stars, the land and the people of this country.