Matariki is a big celebration at Kakanui School.
Last Thursday the school put on an evening celebration of learning with lights and invited the community along.
Teacher Sharon Walsh-Grieve said it was a wonderful event with the focus of connecting with each other, reflecting on the year that has passed and looking forward to the year ahead.
She said pupils spend at least two weeks learning about the meaning behind the individual stars of Matariki in the lead-up to its big community Matariki evening.
"The week before our Community Matariki celebration each individual child creates their own Matariki lantern for the Matariki walk (the last event on the celebration evening).
"This year we widened the event by inviting the whole Kakanui community to our Matariki event."
Principal Ann Roughan said Kakanui School sure knew how to put on a fantastic night.
"We had live music, potluck kai, presentation and songs from the children, lantern walk, fire pit, activity stations and our own light festival.
"Not only are we simply the best wee rural school, but we have simply the best wee community too".
She said highlights of the evening included the pupils singing Matariki waiata, sharing kai, Pohutakawa (writing names of loved ones who have died on a stone and remembering them), Hiwa -e -te-rangi, (the wishing star — writing their hopes and dreams on a star and placing it on a branch) and the camaraderie of staying warm around a fire pit.
She said it was fantastic to see so many people make it along to join in the celebration.
