Tēnei a Aotearoa te pōwhiri i te putanga mai o Te Iwa o Matariki – ko ngā whetū o Matariki rāua ko Puanga – hei waitohu i te tīmatanga o te tau hou, e huihui nei tātou ki te huritao, ki te whakawhetai. Hei āwhina i te tamariki ēnei tū mahi hāpai i te whanaungatanga, whakaputa hoki i ngā kōrero, i ngā waiata, kia mārama rātou ki te tikanga tūturu o te wā o Matariki. 

As Aotearoa welcomes in the appearance of Te Iwa o Matariki, the stars of Matariki and Puanga, indicating the new year is beginning, we come together in reflection and with gratitude. Activities that support whanaungatanga and time to kōrero and waiata together help tamariki experience the traditional purpose of Matariki.

Matariki huarahi ki te oranga tangata 

Hei whakaranea ēnei pukapuka waiata, a Kaitiaki, a Matariki me Puanga, me ngā ataata hākori i ngā wheako waiata o tō pūtahi, o tō whānau rānei, hei whakawātea hoki i ētahi tomokanga mā te tamariki kia inu i te mātauranga o Matariki huri noa i a rātou, ahakoa i te kāinga i te taha o te whānau, ahakoa i tētahi ratonga kōhungahunga, i te hapori rānei, mā ēnei mea katoa ka mōhio rātou he kāinga tēnei nō rātou. 

Ka kaha ake te piri a te tamariki ki ngā here o te kaitiakitanga o te hunga tangata i te wā o Matariki, mā ō rātou hononga, haepapa hoki, i a rātou e paihere nei i tō rātou toiora ki te toiora o Papatūānuku: ko au te taiao, ko te taiao ko au / I am the environment, the environment is me. 

Matariki, pathway to the wellbeing of people 

These Kaitiaki and Matariki me Puanga waiata books and animated videos will add to your centre/whānau repertoire of songs and waiata experiences, providing more ways for tamariki to absorb the activities of Matariki around them, whether at home with whānau, in an early learning service, or in the community, deepening their sense of belonging to this place.

A renewed commitment to kaitiakitanga each Matariki is understood through the relationships and responsibilities of tamariki as they make the important links between their own wellbeing and the that of Papatūānuku: Ko au te taiao, ko te taiao ko au - I am the environment; the environment is me.