Matariki tuia ngā whetū, tuia nga tāngata
Matariki weaver of the stars, weaver of the people
Ngāti Tamaoho and Auckland Council Events are pleased to announce the three pou events and the theme for Matariki Festival 2026, with more to come.
This year’s Matariki Festival, from 4 -19 July, will have over 100 free and budget-friendly community events, exhibitions and workshops across Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland with three pou events highlighting key days of the festival as determined by the maramataka (Māori lunar calendar).
The theme for this year’s festival is Matariki ki te Rangi (Matariki in the Sky) which will focus on celestial knowledge, aspiration and renewal.
Ngāti Tamaoho invites Aucklanders and visitors (manuhiri) to consider ngā whetū (the stars) and how they contribute to our wellbeing. Matariki reminds us of our responsibility as kaitiaki (guardians) of the taiao (natural surroundings), moana (ocean) and whetū (stars).
This year’s Matariki Festival will continue to grow over the coming weeks with more events and activities still to be announced as part of the wider regional programme.
Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown is encouraging everyone to get involved and experience Matariki as part of this year’s festival celebrations.
“Matariki is a special time when our communities come together to deepen their understanding of te ao Māori and to celebrate the Māori New Year,” he says. “The Matariki Festival is a cherished part of Auckland’s events calendar, and we’re proud to collaborate with Ngāti Tamaoho to deliver this year’s programme.”
Ngāti Tamaoho Settlement Trust chair Tori Ngataki says Matariki Festival 2026 is an opportunity to bring people together through mātauranga Māori and to strengthen connections with each other and the world around us.
“As we conclude our three-year partnership with Auckland Council, we are proud to continue sharing the richness of Matariki traditions and the unique perspectives of Ngāti Tamaoho,” she says. “The theme, Matariki ki te Rangi, invites us to look upward to the stars, reflect on our aspirations, honour those who have gone before us, and consider our responsibility as kaitiaki of our whenua, moana and taiao. We welcome all who call Auckland home and visitors to come and celebrate, learn and connect during this special time.”
The first pou event, Matariki ki te Maunga, on 4 July is a dawn karakia led by Ngāti Tamaoho to mark the start of the Matariki Festival and the rising of Matariki.
The second pou event on 10 and 11 July is Te Hui Ahurei o Matariki which will take place at the historic Nathan Homestead and Ngā Hau e Whā Marae o Pukekohe. It will be fun-filled days celebrating the Matariki public holiday with kai, performances, kites, markets and kapa haka. Look to Rangi as vibrant, wind-swept kites fill the sky above Ngā Hau e Whā Marae o Pukekohe during Whakarewa Manu - Kite Day on July 11.
Te Korakora ki Waihorotiu, the third pou event, will bring the festival to a memorable close on 18 July at Shed 10 on Auckland’s Queens Wharf, with a powerful music line-up honouring the past, celebrating the present and looking to the future. Audiences can expect a vibrant celebration of culture, connection and unforgettable performances.
The full Matariki Festival 2026 programme will be announced in early June at matarikifestival.org.nz