Matariki Ahi Kā in Wellington

The rising of Puanga (also known as the star Rigel in Orion) and the Matariki star cluster mark the Māori New Year. It’s a time to reset, reflect on loved ones lost, and celebrate whanaungatanga . Over Matariki weekend, the Wellington waterfront will come alive with fire, projections, and performance.

Each evening hosts a special ceremony to honour those who have passed away. As winter starts to take hold, you can keep warm by stopping in at the kai courts to share food with friends and whānau .

A light installation at the Matariki festival at Wellington's waterfront. People bundled in jackets walk through the pink, blue and purple arch titled 'Nau mai, haere mai to Matariki ki Pōneke. Start your journey through our Waharoa'.

Cloaked in brown feathers, a Māori figure holds a glowing torch under the cover of night.

People bundled in jackets watch light projections over the water at Wellington's Waterfront for Matariki Puanga.

A crowd of people gathered to watch a light show celebrating Matariki in Wellington, New Zealand.

It’s not just the weekend of 19 to 22 June that offers Māori New Year activities. On the weekends between 7 and 22 June, you can enjoy Mana Moana Pōneke at Whairepo Lagoon — a series of Indigenous short films projected on a water screen. Watch as millions of water droplets catch the light, creating the illusion of images appearing from the darkness. The films are themed around the ocean, and float over the water.

Matariki Ahi Kā and Mana Moana Pōneke are free events.