Matariki, the Maori New Year

Matariki is the Maori name for the small cluster of stars also known as the Pleiades or the Seven Sisters, in Taurus constellation. In New Zealand it comes into view low on the north-eastern horizon, appearing in the tail of the Milky Way in the last days of May or in the early June. This heralds the Maori New Year and the beginning of the Matariki celebrations.

Maori view the star formation as a sign of how fruitful their crops would be, depending on the clearity in the night sky. It is a time for the family to gather and reflect on the past and future.The tradition was not so common after colonisation but has experienced a revival in the new milennium.

A number of activities are being held in various towns and cities across the country with concerts and festivals. One of the main activities is Te Marama o Matakiri i.e The Light of Matariki which is a multi-disciplinary exhibition centred around themes of light and dark, harvest and celebration and the cycles of life and death.

Another is Matariki Music Night which is an evening of music, wine and food celebrating the ancient sounds of old and contemporary Aotearoa through a selection of outstanding New Zealand talent.

Kia Ora, Auckland 点点滴滴澳克兰

It has been almost a year since i have "relocated" in Henderson, Auckland and have celebrated several Chinese festivals such as moon cake festival (May 08), Chinese new year (Jan 09) and the most recent "chung" festival (May 09) in a foreign land. My Indonesian Chinese neighbour has kindly given us a few dumplings to sample. My family and a few Malaysian friends also went to K L Cafe (owner came from Penang) to eat dumpling (NZ$4.00 each) and fried "mee sua" (vermicelli) for the festival.

Known as the 'City of Sails' and nestled between two beautiful harbours and a gulf full of islands, Auckland is as much about the sea as it is about the land with regional parks. volcanic cones and more than 50 vineyards. As New Zealand's largest city, Auckland has a population of approximately 1.3 million people and thrives as the hub of financial centre and a colourful local culture with an eclectic mix of people.

The heart of Auckland CBD is based around Queen Street and the surrounding streets. Here you'll find chic boutiques, cafes, banks, art galleries, shopping centres and unmissable Sky Tower - the tallest in Southern Hemisphere with a casino and several fantastic restaurants and bars.

Henderson, a country town with orchards and vineyards during my student days about 40 years ago is today a vibrant township with the lastest shopping centres and public facilities and amenities. It is located in Waitakere City, west of Auckland which has world-class wineries, fantastic bushwalks and magnificent surf beaches.

As for our 67/69's, there are only 3 of us in Auckland to the best of my knowledge, namely, Dr. Andrew Leong Yong Kit, Billy Oon and myself. Recently, i managed to contact a representative of Chung Ling Alumni, Mr Lim Kheng Huat who stays in Palmerston North (about 540 km south of Auckland) and a 1986 graduate. I have assisted him to gather a few more chung ling boys and complile a listing with relevant information. So far we have 13 members (from different batches and various locations) on the list and hope to recruit more members all over New Zealand. This will act as a source of contact and communication and we also hope to assist new migrant or student from chung ling high schoools.

Last September, Chuah Tai Eu and family visited Auckland and other parts of New Zealand, both north and south islands. For those who love beautiful and natural scenery, New Zealand is the place to visit.

Ka Kite Ano ..............See You Later..............再见

Posted by h t yeoh on 2 june 09