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How did the Featherston community celebrate Matariki this year?

Matariki ki Paetūmouki - Featherston Matariki Festival

Fab Feathy supported the community to hold programmes to celebrate Matariki and the whenua in the week leading up to Matariki.

The festival had a wide range of family-friendly events that were held during the week up to Matariki and included workshops such as Manu/kite making and night stargazing as well as a late-night shopping night. The event was extremely popular and was supported by the community, local businesses and stakeholders. Sophronia Smith, Kaiwhakarato/facilitator for Fab Feathy, was interviewed by Radio New Zealand and said that one of the highlights for her was the Hautapu ki Matariki next to Wairarapa Moana as it was the first time in nearly 100 years that this ceremony had been performed in the area. The Hautapu ceremony involves viewing the Matariki cluster, Karanga to those that have passed, offering of Kai to the Atua and then everyone has kai together.

The community, local business and the Featherston Community Trust have voiced their support for holding this as an annual community event for Featherston.