Matariki holiday dates announced

Tauranga local and Pwo Navigator Jack Thatcher. Image: John Borren/SunLive.

Dates for the new Matariki public holiday for the next thirty years have been released by the government.

The extra public holiday will always be on a Friday and next year's is on June 24.

The calendar date for holiday will shift each year to align with the maramataka (Māori lunar calendar).

'Matariki will be our first public holiday that recognises Te Ao Māori and will be one that is uniquely New Zealand,” says, acting Associate Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritag Peeni Henare.

'Mātauranga Māori has been at the heart of decision making on the new public holiday,” says Henare.

Tauranga local and Pwo Navigator, Jack Thatcher is a member of the advisory group and excited about the public holiday.

'I love the fact that having a public holiday puts a larger emphasis on Matariki for the general public,” he exclaims.

'Those themes don't just need to be an indigenous modelling, it can be a following that all of Aotearoa can participate in.”

Henare agrees, 'Matariki is more than just a public holiday. Our celebration of the new public holiday will be informed by key values such as unity, sharing, feasting, coming together, and environmental awareness”.

Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Michael Wood says, 'The Matariki Advisory Group asked that we be guided by the whakataukī ‘Matariki hunga nui' (Matariki brings us together).”

'This new long weekend will allow people to travel to their hometown or around our regions, and spend time with their whanau,” he says.

'The public holiday always falling on a Friday will also mean many of those who miss out on the Mondayisation of holidays will have Matariki to look forward to,” says Wood.

Matariki is the Māori name for the Pleiades, and refers to a cluster of stars that rises in mid-winter, marking the start of the Māori New Year. Some iwi name this time of year Puanga, after a bright star that is above and to the right of the Matariki constellation.

Proposed Matariki public holiday dates

Year

Matariki Holiday Date

2022

24 June

2023

14 July

2024

28 June

2025

20 June

2026

10 July

2027

25 June

2028

14 July

2029

6 July

2030

21 June

2031

11 July

2032

2 July

2033

24 June

2034

7 July

2035

29 June

2036

18 July

2037

10 July

2038

25 June

2039

15 July

2040

6 July

2041

19 July

2042

11 July

2043

3 July

2044

24 June

2045

7 July

2046

29 June

2047

19 July

2048

3 July

2049

25 June

2050

15 July

2051

30 June

2052

21 June

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