How the Indian community celebrates Matariki

Different community groups held meetings in Auckland with kapa haka performances and waiata to mark the occasion. Bhartiya Samaj Charitable Trust members celebrated with music, dance, and by learning te reo.

"It was fabulous," trust founder Jeet Suchdev said.

"We've always wanted to integrate with the people of the land. We celebrate the Māori New Year every year."

Members of the trust were treated with a kapa haka performance by Wairua Kaha led by Kathleen Williams. There was also a small exhibition of Māori artefacts and a session on the importance of Matariki and Māori culture.

Suchdev believed Indian and Māori cultures had a lot of similarities.

"They give a lot of importance to family, they respect their elders and honour nature, and we do the same thing. We feel at home when we meet them, so much warmth."

He said there was also a lot of interest within the community to learn te reo.

Bhartiya Samaj had classes arranged in the past but had to suspend them in response to Covid-19.

"I think we are going to start again," Suchdev said.

In Christchurch, members of the community were eagerly waiting for the weekend to hold their Matariki festivities. The Christchurch Multicultural Council was arranging cultural performances, a shared dinner and a session about stars and their significance in other cultures to commemorate the Māori New Year.

Christchurch Multicultural Council president Surinder Tandon. Photo: Supplied

"We have a kaumātua coming to the event to talk to us about Māori culture and the significance of Matariki," council president Surinder Tandon said.

"This is the first time the Christchurch Multicultural Council is celebrating Matariki and the community is really excited about this weekend. They are looking forward to learn more about Māori culture."

Tandon drew similarities between Matariki and Hindu beliefs.

"Māori pay respect to their ancestors during Matariki and believe that the stars are the eyes of ancestors watching over them," he said.

"Hindus have a similar belief too."

Tandon agreed with Suchdev, saying it was important to connect with the indigenous people of New Zealand.

"Celebrating the Māori new year is part of embracing our multiculturalism."

Auckland's Fiji Indian community came together at the Te Matariki Clendon Community Centre and Library to mark Matariki.

"It was marvellous," Shivarchan Seniors group member Lachmi Naidu said.

"The event started with a karanga and then we sang waiata. We also had a display of ancient Māori artefacts."

The Fiji Indian community celebrates the Māori new year in Manurewa. Photo: Supplied / Lachmi Naidu

Naidu highlighted the importance of Matariki.

"We are living here, and we should know about their culture. There is so much to learn and understand."

A national survey of 1000 people by Kantar Public for Te Papa Museum in Wellington last year showed that Asian New Zealanders celebrated Matariki "significantly higher than average" compared to Kiwis.

It showed 50 percent of all Kiwis took some action to mark the Māori new year but 59 percent of Asian New Zealanders celebrated the occasion.

"When Te Papa started celebrating Matariki 25 years ago, we were an outlier," Te Papa's Māori co-leader Arapata Hakiwai said.

"Now we see how Matariki is being embraced by New Zealanders across the board. It's a mark of how far we have come as a nation. Our research shows Matariki is becoming a truly national phenomenon."