Bigger, Bolder And Brighter: Ōpōtiki Celebrates Biggest Matariki Festival Yet

The Ōpōtiki Matariki Festival has recorded its biggest and most successful year to date, with organisers saying strong attendance across the week reflected the community's growing embrace of Matariki.

Ōpōtiki District Council Experience and Engagement Co-ordinator Iranui Huriwai described this year's festival as the largest since it began.

"This year's Ōpōtiki Matariki Festival was awesome, probably the biggest we've had so far," Huriwai said.

"All the events were well attended, and everyone was loving it."

The week-long programme featured family events, cultural workshops, environmental activities, film screenings and a community celebration, with highlights throughout the week.

"From our first event, which was the Matariki Disco, and seeing all the kids dressed up, we managed to fit probably 200 people in a small space at the back of the library, but they were all loving it."

The festival's movie screenings at the Deluxe Theatre sold out, while demand for an exclusive screening of the documentary Taiarahia – Te Kākahu Tawhito was so strong that organisers scheduled a second showing.

Environmental and cultural activities also proved popular.

Huriwai said the night walk at Hukutaia Domain attracted a strong turnout, with people eager to learn about native wildlife, while the Matariki Wānanga ki Kutarere gave participants the chance to make pūtangitangi from clay and traditional kites.

A new event at Ōpape Beach was among the festival's standout successes.

"We never really did anything that far out or like that for Matariki, and that was amazing."

After poor weather forced a change of plans, the event was combined with Te Ao Hou Trust's Toitū Te Mauri Wānanga.

"It brought out so many people from the community. They learned all about trapping and protecting the ngahere."

Participants also joined a beach clean-up while Department of Conservation staff worked on the Tautarangi Walkway.

The festival concluded with a community celebration featuring live entertainment and a laser show.

"The crowd was massive. The vibrations were high. Everyone was having a great time."

New initiatives also included the Matariki Kai Gatherer Challenge, which encouraged people to share photos of acts of generosity on social media.

Huriwai said this year's festival stood out from previous years.

"We just saw more people out and about, getting involved, really understanding and celebrating Matariki, a lot of coming together, a lot of great moments, like looking after our environment and learning new things," she said.

Organisers are already looking ahead to next year, with Huriwai saying the goal is to continue building on the festival's success.

"This is our seventh or eighth Matariki Festival in Ōpōtiki, and every year we look forward with hopes for the future, making it bigger, better, bolder, brighter, and just always having something really special for our community."

She said keeping many events free or low-cost remained a priority.

"It's always great to give back during Matariki, and we think, with our festival, keeping a lot of things free or low-cost and high opportunity is definitely a way for us to give back to all our people."

Huriwai said Matariki was ultimately about bringing people together.

"We think people really make Matariki special, and Matariki is a time to celebrate people."

She said the festival had also attracted people back to the district, with whānau travelling from around the country and some visitors discovering family connections to the area.

"We had whānau coming down from Auckland. We had visitors who actually found local connections, which was really cool, like finding out their ancestors are from this area."

"It was really special."