Puaka and Matariki hold great significance for Māori, marking the beginning of the Māori New Year as these special whetū first appear in the midwinter sky. While the Matariki star cluster is celebrated by iwi across Aotearoa New Zealand, Kāi Tahu in Te Waipounamu also observe Puaka – the brightest star in the Orion constellation. Puaka is more visible than Matariki here in Whakatere Ashburton and rises first, while Matariki appears below and to the left of Puaka three days later.

Each star has a role to play in guiding the community through the rhythms of life and death, planting and harvesting, summer and winter, fishing and navigation. They mark the end of the harvest and the beginning of a new season: a time to remember our tūpuna and those who have passed during the year, celebrate the present by gathering with whānau to share kai, and prepare for the year ahead.

The handpainted pou in this exhibition were created by talented Ashburton College students in collaboration with our Educator Katie Graham. Each pou represents a star, and together, symbolise our region’s connection to Puaka and Matariki. The pou are unique, much like the whetū themselves.

Join us for the opening of this exhibition on Friday 30 May at 5.30pm. This will coincide with the opening of Caught in the Moment: Guardian photographs of 1975.