Nau mai hoki mai ki a koutou katoa, ko te tūmanako kua tau anō koutou ki tēnei wahanga o te tau.
Welcome everyone, hopefully you are all settled back into Playcentre for another term.
In this pānui we acknowledge and celebrate;
- Matariki mā Puanga – Remember, celebrate, plan ahead!
- Robyn Kahukiwa, artist and author
- Te Raro o Papatūānuku, Earth Day
- Te Reo Māori ki te Ao! A win for all indigenous languages!
Matariki mā Puanga 2025!
As we approach the shortest day of the year, how will your Playcentre whānau celebrate Matariki mā Puanga 2025?
The Ministry of Culture and Heritage, Manatū Taonga have chosen Matariki mā Puanga as this year’s theme, to highlight communities who observe Puanga traditions.
“Matariki and Puanga are stars that sit in the night sky together to signal the start of the Māori New Year for different iwi,” says the government’s Chief Advisor Mātauranga Matariki, Professor Rangi Mātāmua.
The constellation of Matariki, it’s layout and naming mirror the Māori view of the world. The cluster of stars is viewed by some iwi as a whānau with each star’s name connecting to the natural world; fresh water, salt water, food from the ground and from the air etc. The structure clearly demonstrates the relationship that were important to Māori and iwi.
Whakataetae (Competition)
We are excited to announce that this year we will be offering centres the chance to win one of five awesome Matariki mā Puanga prize packs. Each prize pack will include $100 worth of kai to share with your centre whānau, as well as $100 worth of Te Ao Māori resources from the Playcentre Shop.
To enter the prize draw all you need to do is share with us how you are involving your wider hapori (community) in your Matariki celebrations?
Have you thought about:
- connecting with mana whenua by seeing what events they have organised for Matariki, or
- making Matariki the theme for your next Playcentre hapori event, or
- getting involved in one of the many Matariki community festivals being held across the motu, or
- connections with your natural environment – the awa/rivers (Waiti star) or oceans (Waita star) for example?
How each centre chooses to mark this special occasion will be up to them. To enter the prize draw please send us your videos, photos or learning stories to [email protected] by Sunday 22 June.
Terms and conditions:
- Entries close Sunday 22 June 2025.
- All entries go into the draw to win.
- By submitting an entry, you give permission for Playcentre Aotearoa to share the video or images via social media and internally.
- Please ensure you have consent to use any images of people and comply with copyright regulations for images and music.
- Your entry may be used in future marketing and attributed to your centre. Let us know when you enter if you do not want your entry used for future marketing.
Further information:
Matariki and the winter solstice
Robyn Kahukiwa (1938-2025) Ngāti Porou, Te Aitanga-a-Hauiti, Ngāti Konohi, and Te Whānau-a-Ruataupare
E te wahine toa, te tohunga mahi toi, haere atu rā ki o tūpuna, okioki ai. We acknowledge Robyn Kahukiwa, a renown Māori artist and author who has inspired many of us as we were growing up and continues to influence and educate our tamariki.
Robyn Kahukiwa’s bold artistic style is instantly recognizable. Often incorporating elements of nature – birds, plants, and landscapes – her art reflects a profound respect for the environment, strong themes of social justice and the interconnectedness of all living things. Through her storytelling and capitvating illustrations, she shares Māori mythology, culture, history, whānau and whakapapa. Robyn has written and illustrated 12 books of her own and has also illustrated stories for other notable NZ authors.
Here are some timeless stories beautifully illustrated by Robyn Kahukiwa;
Taniwha: Written and illustrated by Robyn Kahukiwa. A bilingual story about a boy who befriends a taniwha, that takes him on a journey through time where he meets some amazing characters, gathering the earth’s treasures as he goes. This book won the New Zealand Government Picture Book of the Year Award in 1987.
The Forgotten Taniwha (Taniwha i Warewaretia): Written by Peter Gossage, illustrated by Robyn Kahukiwa. Translated by Kiwa Hammond. The story revolves around Ngakau Pono, a taniwha who has been forgotten by his people, and explores themes of culture loss and rediscovery.
The Kuia and the Spider (Te Kuia me te Pūngāwerewere) Written by Patricia Grace and illustrated by Robyn Kahukiwa. The tale tells of a kuia (an elderly Māori woman) who outwits a spider by tricking it into getting tangled in its own web. Raro o Papatūānuku – Earth Day
Te Raro o Papatūānuku is Earth Day and is celebrated annually on April 22nd.
It is a day dedicated to raising awareness, appreciation and sustainability for Papatūānuku, earth and te taiao, the natural world.
Papatūānuku is deeply revered as the mother of all things, including humans, plants, and animals. Earth Day, therefore, resonates with Māori values by highlighting the interconnectedness of all living things and the importance of kaitiakitanga, guardianship.
Five activities to foster kaitiakitanga o Papatūānuku:
- Creating nature art and ephemeral art masterpieces
- Storytelling and scavenger hunts to connect with nature
- Making bird feeders and participating in community clean-ups
- Exploring the Māori lunar calendar, Maramataka, and its connection to Earth Day
- Plant seeds and learn about plant life cycles
Papatūānuku by AJ Copping author, Renee Codigan illustrator
Read about Papatūānuku, the Māori Earth Mother, who provides sustenance and nourishment. However, pollution and toxic waste are harming her and the friendly worms that live within her. Tamariki can help by learning ways to reduce waste, promote sustainability, and care for Papatūānuku, ensuring a healthy future for all.
Te Reo Māori ki Te Ao! A win for all indigenous languages!
Amelia Butler
Yale University is offering a course in te reo Māori, a first for any Ivy League university.
The course is being taught by Amelia Butler, a descendant of Ngātiwai, Ngāpuhi, and Ngāti Awa, through the Directed Independent Language Study programme.
Butler’s organization, Learn Māori Abroad, has been teaching te reo Māori online to hundreds of students worldwide.
Amelia says, “It is definitely a dream come true for our reo and one of many dreams I have accomplished in my work sharing and teaching my culture abroad.”