Matariki rises in mid-winter, bringing with it the dawn of the Māori New Year. Literally translated as the 'eyes of god' (mata ariki) or 'little eyes' (mata riki), traditionally the brighter the star cluster, the more plentiful the coming season's harvest.
In recent years Matariki has been more widely celebrated, with more on offer as each year passes. The Matariki Festival is the perfect mid-winter festival to light up the city — throw off those blankets and go and explore the vast array of events on offer.
If you consider yourself a bit of a craftsperson and are keen to learn a new skill, why not try your hand at making a Mōkihi (reed boat) like Māori did back in the day.
All of the materials will be supplied and you'll even be able to take home your own model. You never know, if you get good enough maybe you'll be able to take to the water in style over the summer months.