On Wednesday 22nd of June, Te Kauwhata College hosted an event for Matariki to celebrate Maaori New Year. This was the first year Matariki has been recognised as a national holiday and we wanted to celebrate with our wider community. It was incredibly important to come together as New Zealanders to honour our past, appreciate the present, and look ahead to our wonderful futures. Celebrating and showcasing our students’ talents allowed them the opportunity to shine brightly, like Matariki.
Matariki was also a great chance for the aakonga of Te Kauwhata College and Te Kauwhata Primary to be able to perform on a stage, in front of an audience for the first time in about two years! We were very lucky to have fantastic weather for the evening, especially amongst all the storms we have had recently. A massive shout out goes to the legendary Larry (Simmo) Simmons for running the lighting and sound on the evening.
The evening was a great success. Community members were welcomed with hot food and a smile. Te Kauwhata Primary provided a Hangi, whilst the College provided a sausage sizzle and hot wedges. The event began at 5:30 pm, showcasing dancers and musicians from both kura.
A huge thank you to the community groups who came and supported us all in this work – CPNZ, TOI AKO, TK COMMUNITY EVENTS, and ST ANDREWS PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.
Overall, this was an amazing event that everyone enjoyed, and we are already excitedly preparing ourselves for next year.
