Nau Mai Te Tau Hou Māori - Matariki mā Puanga
Celebrating and Coming Together

E ngā mana, e ngā reo, e ngā karangataha maha, tēnā kōutou kātoa.

He puna wai, he puna kai; he puna reo, he puna ora – ita-a-ita!
A water spring, a bountiful spring; a language spring, a life spring – hold fast!

With Matariki and Puanga upon our horizon, it is time we reflect on the year that has been and prepare ourselves for Te Tau Hou Māori 2025/26. The whakataukī above emphasises the importance of water and food as essential resources for life, our wellbeing and our identity.

Following the success of our recent Conference in Heretaunga – Horanuku Hora Kai | Edible Landscapes; also marked the end of ‘Matariki Heri Kai | Matariki Bringer of Food’. Matariki Heri Kai reflects on the association of the various domains from where we source our food for our overall wellbeing – gardens (Tupuānuku), forests (Tupuārangi), fresh water (Waitī) and ocean (Waitā).

It was fitting that we concluded the year in Heretaunga, a landscape revered for its network of wetland lakes, rivers, streams, swamps, forests and fern hills – a veritable edible landscape of abundance and beauty. It is a reminder of how we as landscape architects consider our role as kaitiaki (tangata whenua) and as kaiawhina (tangata tiriti), protecting and caring for our ecosystems and maintaining and enhancing their mana and mauri.

Following a year of many shifts and changes both politically and physically within our landscapes and practice, the theme for 2025/26 embraces inclusion, diversity and coming together – ‘Matariki mā Puanga’. This theme is a reminder that regardless of our different backgrounds, origins, and practices, it is time to come together and share the many unique elements that shape our identity. Matariki and Puanga are stars that sit in the night sky together to signal the start of the Te Tau Hou Māori for different iwi. Along with Rehua, these stars connect us to our core values in how we live and work.

As a rōpū we are committed to working together for the betterment of our practice of landscape architecture, supporting kaupapa and building the capacity of our membership. Whilst our crops/fields await to be sowed, let us take time to prepare ourselves for the year ahead. Over the next few months, Te Tau-a-Nuku will be undertaking our own internal wānanga to gather our whakaaro (ideas/thoughts) and our rauemi (resources) to sow into our whenua – into our practice.

Nāu te rourou, nāku te rourou, ka ora ai te iwi!
With my basket and with your basket, we will prosper!

 
Maramataka Waananga with Ayla Hoeta (Webinar Invitation)

To celebrate the ‘Matariki mā Puanga’, we are grateful to have mātanga Maramataka, Ayla Hoeta (Waikato) share space and time with us in understanding Maramataka Māori and how we use mātauranga Matariki mātauranga Maramataka within our design practice.

Ayla Hoeta is a vibrant wahine Maaori, maamaa, passionate gardener, and Maramataka Maaori practitioner. Raised in South Auckland, her whakapapa connects to South Auckland and Waikato, grounding her in whenua and whaanau. With over a decade of experience leading kaupapa Maaori and community initiatives, Ayla brings lived experience and maatauranga sharing practical Maramataka insights that align daily life, design practice, and innovation - embedding tuupuna knowledge to guide contemporary living by the Maramataka. 

Ayla is also a Lecturer at the University of Auckland’s Faculty of Engineering and Design, weaving kaupapa Maaori and mahi Maramataka into design and innovation. Her mahi champions design for intergenerational wellbeing and reconnection to te taiao, through mahi Maramataka.

She is committed to sharing the insights and practical wisdom of the Maramataka, with an understanding of the tohu of whenua, moana and rangi, including Matariki - and endeavours to strengthen and continue to build on mātauranga Māori within our community and environments. Ayla brings deep knowledge on how these natural indicators can influence well-being, activities, and spiritual connection to te taiao.

Please register here

For those that are interested to attend, we ask that you print the Maramataka Dial for Tāmaki Makaurau provided and have with you during Ayla’s kōrero. Ayla has also provided ngā rauemi (resources) for Maramataka.

Maramataka Dial for Tamaki Makaurau 
Planting seeds podcast: Maramataka Ayla Hoeta
Maramataka expert Rereata Makiha on Waka Huia – Pāpā Rereata is the tohunga in mahi Maramataka) 
Maramataka monthly korero on the Spinoff
Tohu Framework
Ao Maarama – Apps on Google Play

Nōreira, we look forward to welcoming Te Tau Hou Māori with you all on what we hope will be a diverse, productive, collaborative and fruitful year ahead.

Ahakoa he aha te rākau, he hua kei roto. 
No matter the species of tree, each bears its own unique fruit.
 
Mauri ora,
Ashleigh Hunter & William Hatton (Ngā Tumuaki o Te Tau-a-Nuku)