Featuring Wellington East Girls’ College (WEGC)
As the stars of Matariki rise in the midwinter sky, kura across Aotearoa New Zealand prepare to mark this treasured time with reflection, remembrance, and renewed hope for the year ahead. But how can schools ensure that their Matariki celebrations are not only meaningful, but culturally respectful and community-driven?
To explore this, we spoke with Nan Walden, a kaiako at Wellington East Girls’ College (WEGC), about how her school embraces Matariki through collaborative planning, authentic practices, and whānau involvement.
How are students involved in planning and participating in your school’s Matariki celebrations?
“We have kūmara cooked in the morning and a dawn service with our kapa haka group reciting a gratitude whakataukī. We invite all prefects from the surrounding schools and usually begin the celebrations with noho in our school whare for our kapa haka rōpū.”
At WEGC, student leadership and participation are central to Matariki observances. The school’s kapa haka rōpū leads the way, performing during the dawn service and also engaging in noho marae-style preparation within the school’s whare. This immersion offers students a deeper connection to kaupapa Māori through lived experience, tikanga, and collective effort.
Importantly, the school invites prefects from neighbouring schools, turning the event into a shared ritual of leadership, learning, and cultural celebration. It’s a brilliant example of how Matariki can be a catalyst for inter-school connection, manaakitanga, and unity.
What role does the local community, including whānau and iwi, play in your Matariki events?
“Mana whenua come along, whānau from all surrounding schools participate and we all have breakfast at the end of the celebration.”
Community involvement is a foundational component. WEGC honours Matariki through deep collaboration with mana whenua, recognising the importance of indigenous leadership and presence at the heart of cultural celebrations.
Whānau engagement is also strong. Families from across the wider school community are welcomed, creating a truly inclusive environment. The morning concludes with shared kai, a breakfast that becomes a symbolic and practical expression of whanaungatanga, the relationships that bind people together.
This approach offers an important reminder: authentic celebration of Matariki should not be done in isolation. It thrives on relationships, between schools, families, and tangata whenua.
What are some of the key traditions or activities your school includes in the celebration, and why were these chosen?
“Dawn service, kūmara cooking, and gratitude whakataukī.”
Each of these activities reflects core values and symbols of Matariki:
- The dawn service aligns with the traditional observation of the Matariki star cluster before sunrise, honouring ancient navigation and harvesting cycles.
- Kūmara, a traditional kai, symbolises sustenance, growth, and connection to the land and ancestors.
- The gratitude whakataukī, shared by the kapa haka group, grounds the ceremony in te reo Māori and reinforces the spiritual, reflective tone of Matariki.
These aren’t just symbolic gestures; they are living practices that connect students to mātauranga Māori in a respectful, relevant, and experiential way.
How do you ensure that Matariki is celebrated in a culturally respectful and authentic way?
“With whānau and mana whenua involvement.”
This simple but powerful statement speaks volumes about what best practice looks like. Authenticity is not found in decorations or tick-box activities, it is created through ongoing relationships with Māori communities, shared decision-making, and genuine invitation.
By positioning whānau and mana whenua as leaders and partners, WEGC ensures that their approach is grounded in tikanga Māori and local iwi knowledge. This enriches the learning experience for ākonga, modelling culturally responsive pedagogy in action.
What is the desired outcome or purpose of your school’s Matariki celebration, for students, staff, and the wider community?
“Whanaungatanga with surrounding schools and community and gratitude.”
WEGC’s Matariki celebration is about building relationships and fostering a spirit of gratitude. These values align with the deeper meaning of Matariki: a time to remember those we’ve lost, to celebrate the present, and to look forward to the future.
By weaving together ritual, storytelling, shared food, and collective leadership, the school’s approach uplifts the spirit of communal belonging. Students and staff walk away with a greater sense of connection to each other, to their whakapapa, and to the land.
Final Thoughts: Best Practice in Action
Matariki is a taonga, an opportunity to pause, reflect, and reset with intention. What WEGC demonstrates beautifully is that the most powerful school celebrations don’t happen by chance. They are purposefully designed through consultation, inclusion, and cultural integrity.
For teachers looking to embed Matariki meaningfully into their school calendar, the key takeaways are clear:
- Start with whanaungatanga – build partnerships with mana whenua and local Māori communities.
- Involve your students – leadership, voice, and creative expression make the celebration theirs.
- Anchor the celebration in values – gratitude, remembrance, unity, and renewal.
- Make space for kai, kōrero, and connection – it’s in the coming together that learning truly deepens.
Ngā mihi nui to Wellington East Girls’ College for sharing their story and helping pave the way for schools across Aotearoa to honour Matariki with authenticity and heart.
