Matariki in the Zone



Matariki in the Zone Event
10am-2pm Sunday 19 June 2016
Mahinga Kai Exemplar, Anzac Drive Reserve

It’s two years since the Mahinga Kai Exemplar was launched in Anzac Drive Reserve by the Avon-Ōtākaro Network, Ngāi Tūāhuriri and Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu, the Department of Conservation, and several other groups passionate about restoring biodiversity and mahinga kai values in the Reserve as outlined in ECan’s Natural Environment Recovery Programme. To celebrate our achievements and to broaden awareness of mahinga kai and what it means in the Exemplar, in the RRZ, and beyond, we are having another celebration of Matariki Day at the original planting site on Chimera Crescent on Sunday 19 June.

Mahinga kai, in the wider sense, means food and resource gathering, but it also denotes the places where food is gathered and resources prepared, as well as the customs or tikanga surrounding the use and gathering of the food and resources.

We have chosen this day as, according to the maramataka, or Māori lunar calendar, it is favourable for planting food (orchard trees) and is the day before the big (full) moon. And, as the name of the event suggests it also falls within Matariki – the Māori New Year – a time of remembrance and renewal, when the Matariki, or Pleiades, constellation can be seen above the horizon.

We want this to be great community day, with a strong focus on mahinga kai, some of the tikanga around its use, Matariki and the environment. It won’t be huge, but by inviting other community groups and our partner organisations to hold information stalls, it will be big enough to draw a good crowd, to engage communities and to help people gain a greater understanding of what we are all trying to achieve. We want everyone to enjoy themselves and hopefully take home some new information, a greater understanding of mahinga kai, and an appreciation of the environment and how it relates to them.

 

Location Matariki Garden, Anzac Drive Reserve, Chimera Crescent, Burwood
https://www.google.co.nz/maps/place/Anzac+Drive+Reserve+Anzac+Dr,+Burwood,+Christchurch+8083

Access site from Travis Road, turn into Atlantis St, then turn right onto Chimera Crescent, or alternatively head straight down Atlantis to second entrance of Chimera Crescent. NB This is the red zone and although the streets are accessible they are in VERY POOR CONDITION

Date 10am-2pm Sunday 19 June 2016

 

ACTIVITY WHAT
Karakia and welcome
Workshops Mahinga Kai focussed workshops 
Mokihi (reed waka) making
Kite-making
Weaving
Carving demonstration
Whaka Inaka talk & walk
Planting Orchard planting – planting of orchard trees and flowering hardy plants
Possibly planting native trees in planted areas where they haven’t survived
Preparation of the site for trees and under planting
Stalls Community groups and partner organisations information stalls
AvON
Ngāi Tūāhuriri
DOC
Landcare Research– Ecology, rongoā, pa harakeke
Lincoln University – BHU ?
EOS Ecology – Whaka Inaka Causing Whitebait Project
ECan
Avon-Ōtākaro Forest Park ?
Greening the Red Zone ?
FRN/Edible Canterbury ?
CCC Educational Environment team/ Travis Wetland Trust
Ōpāwaho Network ?
AHEIT ?
Entertainment Local musicians
Kapa haka group (from Rawhiti?)
Kids entertainment Treasure hunt with mahinga kai related clues and plants as prizes that they can either plant at MKE or take home
Art competition “A vision for my place” What would students like to see in the RRZ in 10-15 years (May)
Art Competition Judging (early June)
Mural that kids add birds, plant, fish decorations
Face painting
Food Stalls Soup & keg hangi (free)
Coffee cart
Security & safety Volunteers will be in attendance to keep children away from waterways, direct parking, provide assistance and first aid.