Dia dhuit and Kia ora to all our members, friends, and extended whānau.
"Matariki mā Puanga: Celebrating together."– may this season bring rest, remembrance, and renewal for you and your whānau.”
As the stars of Matariki mā Puanga rise once more in the midwinter sky, we are reminded of the diverse ways the Māori New Year is observed across Aotearoa. For some iwi, particularly in the South Island such as Ngāi Tahu (or Kai Tahu in regional dialect), it is Puanga the bright star also known as Rigel that heralds the beginning of the new year. In many southern regions, Puanga is more visible than Matariki, and so it is the first to be seen. Yet whether one looks first to Matariki or Puanga, the spirit of the season remains the same: a time of remembrance, renewal, and shared celebration. we want to take a moment to acknowledge this special season and offer our heartfelt wishes to you and your families.
Over the past few years, the Christchurch Irish Society has marked Matariki with special events celebrating the unique cultural fabric of Aotearoa. This year, however, after the busyness and joy of hosting the Rose of Tralee NZ Selection, we’ve made the decision to step back from organising a formal gathering. Instead, in the true spirit of Matariki, we’re embracing the opportunity to slow down, rest, and spend time with our loved ones. It feels fitting. Matariki is, at its heart, a time to pause, an invitation to honour the past, celebrate the present, and look with intention toward the future.
Matariki marks the Māori New Year and is guided by the appearance of the Matariki star cluster, known internationally as the Pleiades in the early morning sky. It is a time for remembrance: a moment to honour those who have passed on, and to let their memory live among us once more. It’s also a time for gathering, sharing food, laughter, and connection with whānau and community.
Living within the two cultural worlds of Ireland and New Zealand, it has often struck me how closely some of the values and traditions of Māori and Irish culture align. I’ve felt this especially while travelling in the West of Ireland, where the Irish language is still spoken and where traditional ways of life hold strong. The connections between Māori and Irish culture are often quiet, but powerful.
Both cultures view language as something sacred. Te Reo Māori is considered taonga - a treasure, holding generations of knowledge and identity. In Ireland, Gaeilge carries the pride, resilience, and poetic spirit of a people determined to remember who they are. Both traditions also hold fast to storytelling. Whether it’s Māori kōrero, waiata, or the tales of the Irish seanchaí, agus ceol, stories and song are a vital way of preserving memory and passing wisdom through generations. In Ireland, the tradition of oral storytelling weaves through myth and mystery - stories of na síoga (fairies), ancient heroes, banshees, and sacred wells. These tales aren’t simply entertainment, but a way of explaining the world, honouring the land, and acknowledging the thin veil between seen and unseen realms, something Māori also understand through atua, wairua, and the living presence of the natural world.
There is also a deep connection to ancestors. In Māori tradition, one’s whakapapa, genealogy is a living, breathing link to the past. It defines who you are and where you stand. In Irish culture, family names, clan histories, and a strong sense of lineage keep the voices of the past very much present. And in both cultures, the land is not just land it’s life, identity, and belonging. For Māori, whenua is not only the ground we walk on but the word for placenta, symbolising the deep, life-giving bond between people and place. For Irish people, the land is storied and soulful. It holds grief, memory, resistance, and beauty.
As we step into this season of reflection, we feel privileged to live in a country where Māori culture offers moments like Matariki, time to slow down, to remember, and to be present. It reminds us that there is a quiet power in looking back and looking forward, all while anchoring ourselves firmly in the now.
So, while we won’t be gathering for Matariki at the Club this year, we hope you’ll join us in spirit. Whether you're lighting a candle, sharing kai with your whānau, or simply enjoying a peaceful winter’s morning, we wish you a season filled with warmth, connection, and meaning.
Written by Kylee Dillane – Community Liaison Officer
With thanks and support from Kieran and the Executive Team, especially Makere for her continued insight and teachings.