Light show back for Matariki event
The free community event will take place from 3pm to 9pm on June 21 at Logan Park.
It will feature two drone light shows, weaving art and storytelling.
Enterprise Dunedin event producer Allison Wallace said the festival reflected the city's commitment to higher-quality, accessible events that celebrated local culture and brought communities together.
"In response to feedback and the popularity of last year's drone show event, which saw 15,000 people there, we have extended the event footprint across Logan Park and have a large food truck and dining area.
"We have an earlier drone show for our younger audiences at 6pm, followed by a later show for our teens and adults at 8.30pm.
Drones light up the sky at last year's Matariki celebrations at Logan Park. PHOTO: GERARD O'BRIEN
"We're excited to announce our headline act as 1 Drop Nation, one of Aotearoa's must-see acts, whose music is a unique blend of roots, rock, funk and reggae."
Meanwhile, Ōtepoti Dunedin is preparing to welcome the Māori New Year with the Puaka Matariki Festival — a month-long celebration of renewal, reflection and connection. The festival, now in its 15th year in Ōtepoti, runs from June 14 to July 12.
The programme includes 26 events across Ōtepoti Dunedin, from a traditional hautapu ceremony, to the sharing of kai and kapa haka performances along with the return of the festival's drone show.
Paulette Tamati-Elliffe, of Te Rūnaka o Ōtākou, said as a community, people had been celebrating both Puaka and Matariki for many years.
Enterprise Dunedin Destination Manager Sian Sutton said the upcoming programme of events across the city was a chance to deepen our connection to te ao Māori.
"Puaka Matariki is a uniquely powerful time of reflection and unity.
"We're thrilled to bring this to life for our city and we're particularly excited by the collaborative process with mana whenua to ensure the event is culturally appropriate and reflective of Matariki values." — APL
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RNZ News
12 minutes ago
- RNZ News
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Otago Daily Times
2 hours ago
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Gore photographer's shot recognised
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1News
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Photo: Supplied/Ngāti Tama (Source: Local Democracy Reporting) The wharewaka would properly recognise the mana of, what he said had been described as, the country's "most significant archaeological find ever". He also envisioned the facility as a museum about the history of local Māori and their mātauranga (knowledge) of celestial navigation and waka-building. "More than just a waka sitting there, there's going to be an opportunity to tell stories, to see other artifacts, to hear the history of voyaging… that's the vision, I suppose – telling our own stories and hopefully inspiring generations," Little said. "We're looking for something that the community can be really proud of and also in awe of." The Anaweka waka is currently drying in a shed away from public view but is intended to be displayed in a purpose-built museum. 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(Source: Local Democracy Reporting) Services manager Karen Johnson added that the museum looked after other Māori artefacts, with only a "teeny" portion on display, and so the wharewaka would provide additional opportunities to show more of the taonga. "There's just so much that you could incorporate." ADVERTISEMENT Although the site had been agreed to in principle, there was still "plenty" of work to do before shovels entered the ground, including further analysis, designs, fundraising, and community consultation. "We want to do it properly, we want to make it relevant in terms of what else was shown in there," Little said. Golden Bay Museum chair Frank Susko and services manager Karen Johnson welcomed the possibility of having the wharewaka next door. Photo: Max Frethey (Source: Local Democracy Reporting) "The whole community will be able to celebrate that. 'Wow, this was found here'. It'll be the talk of the town for a long time once it's up and running." Polynesian ocean-voyaging canoes were incredibly rare, with the Anaweka waka being only the second one known to have survived into the modern day. Parts of the first canoe were discovered in 1978 on the island of Huahine in French Polynesia, while hundreds of fragments of a potential third were recently uncovered on the Chatham Islands. Local Democracy Reporting is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air
