Hautapu ki Aramiro Pā
Mānawa maiea te putanga o Matariki
Mānawa maiea te ariki o te rangi
Mānawa maiea te Mātahi o te tau
Whano, whano
Haramai te toki ata huakirangi
Haumie
Hui e
Tāiki e!
Celebrate the rising of Matariki
Celebrate the lord of the skies
Celebrate the new year
Unite, unite
And bring forth the dawn
Together
In union
We are one!
What is Hautapu?
In midwinter, when Matariki appears on the eastern horizon in the morning, a ceremony takes place. This ceremony is commonly known as whāngai i te hautapu or hautapu for short. It means to feed the stars with a sacred offering (from Te Papa Tongarewa website).
There are certain kai that pay homage to certain stars:
- Tipuānuku – Kai from the earth
- Tipuārangi – Kai from the sky
- Waitī – Kai from freshwater and or rivers
- Waitā – Kai from the ocean
My first hautapu ceremony that I attended was held at Aramiro Pā, located in the Waitetuna Valley, Waikato. There was no recollection in living memory by kaumatua of hautapu ever being practiced on this marae. Stemming from a collaboration of understanding and ideas about hautapu, organisers brought whānau together at the pā to honour and celebrate Matariki and her 6 daughters by performing their own Hautapu ceremony.
Preparations for the fire lighting ceremony on the marae atea, and kai preparations for the conclusion of the burning and karakia ceremony, began the night before.
5.00am – Fire Lighting Ceremony
A brazier was placed on the marae atea to house the fire for the ceremony. The first karakia was performed by a taiohi (young boy), followed by 5 other kaikarakia (a person who recites incantations). Each Kaikarakia taking part in lighting the fire, acknowledging Matariki and the Whetū (stars) that align with it, while remembering all those who had passed in the past year and beyond. Once the last karakia (prayer) is finished, each person was invited to grab a piece of wood to add to the fire. The piece of wood allowed us to reflect about the past year, the coming year and to remember those who had passed on to be with tūpuna (ancestors), before being placed on the fire.
The ceremony was absolutely beautiful and allowed our tamariki (children) to be a part of the whole process for the first time at Aramiro.
Once that was completed, the kaikaranga (a caller) called us into the whare kai (food hall) to complete the Fire Lighting ceremony with a kai.
Beautifully laid out on the table was a huge breakfast feast like a xmas banquet of kai associated to the Whetū (stars) Tupunāuku, Tupuārangi, Waitī and Waitā.
Painting, drawing and game activities for the kids followed after the kai. Each child was given an activity gift pack. There was also a kite in each pack so that they could learn how to fly a kite. Nothing but big smiles and laughter during the whole day.
Another standout piece for me was that a couple of health organisations (Tū Tonu and Ngākau ā Kiwa) came out to celebrate Matariki and Hautapu with the marae while providing and promoting the importance of whānau hauora (family wellbeing). Everyone was encouraged to get their health checks done, as well as utilise the mirimiri (massage) service that was on offer.
Playing in the background was a video showing the photos of whānau members from Aramiro who had passed in the last year. It was a great way for everyone to see and acknowledge their departed loved ones. The whakataukī ‘He kanohi kitea, ka hoki ngā mahara’ ‘A familiar face stirs the memory’ was very fitting for this mahi.
Just before the conclusion of the day, we gathered together to sing waiata and learn a waiata for the following year before the final karakia was performed to conclude the day and activities.
I wrote this piece to highlight the importance of being with whānau and extended whānau during the winter months. A time to remember those who have passed on to the other side of the veil. To celebrate and reflect on the past year and to make tentative plans for the new year coming.
To share kai (because everything is about the kai haha). It is about intention and how we practice old and new practices. To learn new things that have always been there and for reasons they have been dormant until now.
You don’t have to get it all right the first time, however it is a learning to include more things the following year and so on, while teaching the tamariki so that they can carry on the tikanga (protocols/practices) and why we practice them around the time of Matariki.
Mauri ora ki a tātou katoa!
Waerea te rangi e tū nei
Waerea te papa e takoto nei
Whakapūmautia tēnei kawa e uruora
Te kawa ki a Matariki
Clear the sky above
Clear the earth below
Establish this ceremony
The formal ceremony of Matariki
Written by: Kereama Clarke, Creative Waikato team member