It’s ironic that the man credited with creating public awareness about the country’s first indigenous public holiday has no time to celebrate it with his own family.
In the past, Professor Rangi Matamua (Tūhoe) would gather with his whānau to say karakia and have a meal together. But since Matariki became an official public holiday last year, his hectic schedule has kept him away from home.
As the chief government adviser on Matariki, he says, “These days, because of my role, I’m attending major, elaborately organised karakia and hautapu [dawn ceremonies] around the country.”
The tireless work and commitment have paid off, though, with Matariki having been embraced throughout the country by Māori and Pākehā alike. A recent
