Sign In / Register
The Government has unveiled the host iwi and theme for next year’s national Matariki celebration, with Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei in Auckland awarded the hosting honours. The theme will be Matariki Herenga Waka – For Everyone. Arts, Culture and Heritage Minister, Paul Goldsmith says the theme is about all people coming together to celebrate Matariki 2026 in Auckland, the city of sails, or wherever they may be in New Zealand. “The Māori New Year is a time of reflection, celebration, and preparation,” he says. “It is a time to remember loved ones, come together with whānau to give thanks for what we have and look forward to the promise of a new year. While the theme changes from year to year the values of reflection, celebration and preparation remain the same.”
