Manu Aute Kite Day

Overview

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.

Is there a more perfect setting to fly a kite in Auckland than overlooking Rangitoto and the harbour on Ōrākei? Probably not.

Connecting heaven and earth, kite flying is one of the most popular events during the Matariki Festival. No matter what age you are, kite flying is one of the simplest forms of happiness and a universal tradition.

If you can't make it out to Ōrākei there are also kite flying events in both Puketāpapa (Mt Roskill) and Manurewa.