E mōhiotia ana a waho kei roto he ana."One cannot know from the outside what is contained within."
Matariki has always been a special time for us at Aranga Early Childhood Centre, a time to celebrate whānaungatanga (connections) and manaakitanga (hospitality, care for others). It is a time to reflect, to come together as a community, and to acknowledge those who have come before us while looking ahead to the future.
This year, we embraced the spirit of Matariki with new and familiar whānau, sharing stories, kai, and warmth by the fire as we toasted marshmallows under the night sky. Ngā mihi nui ki a koutou! We know it is not always easy to return after hours, especially in the winter months, and we are deeply grateful to everyone who joined us. Seeing the excitement and joy on our tamariki’s faces made it all worthwhile.
Learning Through the Stars of Matariki
Tupu-a-Rangi – The star of the forest and its bounty.
Our tamariki learned about Tupu-a-Rangi, who is connected to all the food gathered from the trees—birds, berries, and fruit. Through storytelling, we explored the richness of the ngahere (forest) and how Tāne Mahuta provides for us. To deepen their understanding, our tamariki created beautiful bird drawings, celebrating the connection between the sky, the land, and its creatures.
Waipuna-ā-Rangi The star of rain and replenishmentWaipuna-ā-Rangi represents the water that pools in the sky and nourishes our whenua. Our tamariki explored her role in the cycle of life, understanding how rain feeds the land, fills our rivers, and sustains our kai.
To bring this learning to life, they created rain cloud art using paper plates, cotton balls, paint, and blue dye. Watching the dye drip like rain sparked curiosity and excitement as they experimented with movement and flow, sharing their ideas and observations with each other and their kaiako.
Matariki is a time for remembering, celebrating, and learning. Thank you to our incredible whānau for sharing in this beautiful occasion.
Mānawatia a Matariki! 🌟
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