Beyond the Cut-Out Stars
Honouring Matariki with Heart and Purpose
As the stars of Matariki reappear in our winter skies, they bring with them a tradition that is being woven into the fabric of Aotearoa. Matariki is a time of remembrance, celebration, and aspirations, a moment to pause, reflect, and realign. In early childhood education, this is more than a theme; it is a call to live our values with depth and authenticity.
Matariki invites kaiako to consider their hopes and dreams for the coming year, to set their intentions both personally and professionally. [Click here] to access a form where you can record your hopes and dreams for the year ahead.
We have long advocated that internal evaluation and PGC inquiries begin and end during the Matariki phase. This is the natural time to set our intentions for quality improvement. We have also aligned our annual planning cycle with Matariki. [Click here] to view our wall planner.
The Hopes and Dreams form offers prompts for reflection. You may wish to complete it and then kōrero with colleagues to identify an internal evaluation focus that could draw your inquiries together.
Some of the questions included in the Hopes and Dreams form are:
Ngā Moemoeā – My dreams to Hiwa-i-te-rangi
What dream do I offer up to Hiwa-i-te-rangi for the year ahead?
What are my professional hopes and dreams for the coming year?
Ngā Hononga ki ngā Tūpuna – Connecting to my ancestors
What wisdom from my tūpuna supports these aspirations?
How do I honour their values in my practice?
All too often, Matariki in ECE settings is reduced to glittery cut-out stars or colouring-in sheets. While these may be familiar activities, they risk overshadowing the deep cultural and spiritual richness of Matariki. (In fact, colouring-in sheets have no real place in early childhood settings at any time of the year.)
As kaiako, we have the privilege and the responsibility to walk alongside our mokopuna on journeys that reflect the mauri and mana of Matariki. We must ensure this doesn’t become a commercial celebration or mimic the ways of Christmas trinkets and shiny things are rolled out each year.
A Time of Meaningful Connection
Matariki is traditionally marked by three themes, which align closely with Te Whāriki:
Matariki Hunga Nui – remembering those who have passed
(Belonging | Mana Whenua)Matariki Ahunga Nui – celebrating togetherness and shared kai
(Contribution | Mana Tangata)Matariki Manako Nui – setting intentions for the future
(Wellbeing | Mana Atua)
These are not just conceptual ideas; they are tangible ways we connect mokopuna to their whakapapa, their whānau, and their dreams.
Living the Whetū: Learning from the Skies and the Soil
Each of the nine whetū in the Matariki cluster offers a lens for inquiry and exploration. When celebrated meaningfully, the whetū guide learning that is embedded in relationships, whenua, and culture.
One ECE setting in Tāmaki Makaurau brings the whetū to life in ways that support meaningful engagement for the mokopuna. The setting is part of our SELO Infants and Toddlers cluster in Tamaki Makaurau.
Celebration Grounded in Whakapapa
At this centre, kai becomes a site of learning. The team at Thriving Kids has built their weekly menu around the whetū. For example, pumpkin soup is served on Tupuānuku day; freshwater and sea kai are offered during Waitī and Waitā. Around the lunch table, kaiako weave conversations about where the food comes from and its connection to the whetū.
At the end of the week, the centre hosts a hākari with whānau. Cultural dishes are brought from home, the centre hosts a hāngi, and a pōwhiri welcomes everyone. During the final evening celebration, whānau are invited to share stories of loved ones who have passed. They bring photos and memories, deepening connection and honouring whakapapa.
Mokopuna see and feel what it means to belong. They witness aroha in action and learn that caring for others through foodbanks, stories, and shared meals is what strengthens a community.
At the beginning of the week, whānau are invited to bring non-perishable kai for the Salvation Army. Mokopuna deliver the donations and hear stories from Foodbank staff about where the kai will go. This is living into cultural values, a true expression of Matariki Ahunga Nui, the great mounds of Matariki: an abundance of food for all.
Let’s be inspired by the Whetū
Moving beyond the glitter and glue is not a rejection of creativity, but a deepening of it. When we release the pressure to produce a product, we create space for connection, curiosity, and culture.
Matariki is a time for authenticity. When we honour it with intention, we gift our mokopuna more than just an activity we gift them a sense of identity, belonging, and purpose.
Mānawatia a Matariki. Let us rise, together.