Westfield centres in Aotearoa have unveiled a calendar of community events and activations to mark the upcoming New Year.
In celebration of Matariki, Westfield partnered with multi-disciplinary artist Manawa Tapu to create striking artwork displayed in centres. This artwork will reflect what Matariki means to him and his family and how he draws on his rich cultural heritage to honour the past and future exploration of Toi Māori.
"As we come together to celebrate Matariki, we are excited to connect with our community and offer a wide range of activities, events and artwork that celebrate Māori culture," said Paul Gardner, Scentre Group Regional Centre Experience Manager.
"We are thrilled to collaborate with Manawa Tapu to bring his experience of Matariki to life, and we hope anyone gathering at Westfield destinations throughout the week and on the day enjoys the celebrations."
Westfield will host various activities from 9 am until 9 pm on Matariki to give families extra time to come together and celebrate.
Each centre will be hosting Mānawatia Matariki (Discover Matariki), which includes a display featuring nine figures by Tapu and a starry tunnel created with mirrored finishes and UV light effects to recreate the night sky, which will be available for customers to experience during the opening hours from the 10th to the 14th of July.
Customers can also pick up one of nine cards, each featuring an aspirational Whakataukī (Māori proverb), revealed when passing through the UV tunnel. All Auckland centres will also offer face painting and performances to celebrate the occasion.
Westfield Manukau will also host a first of its kind, Ko ngā haerenga a Manu (Journeys of Manu) App, an AR kids experience where they can collect twelve Taonga (treasures) and unlock hidden features and games, explore different areas of Aotearoa, learn about the stars and moon cycle, Manukau's critical landmarks along the Puhinui Stream trail and the tohu (signs) of spring according to the Maramataka (Māori lunar calendar). There will also be a colouring kid's pop-up activation with an animated, bilingual Māori character Manu.
The popular Māori TV kids program Mahi Pai is opening its first physical store on Matariki at the Manukau centre, designed for early childhood and primary school children. The first-to-market store will have two children's party rooms that families can hire, and its educational merchandise will be available for sale. The Mahi Pai characters are set to perform during the day in the centre, followed by a chance to meet the Taniwha and Matua te Moa in real life.
Customers can explore an immersive forest island with native plants, Māori carved Pou and art displays at Westfield Riccarton. The centre will also have a large telescope installed with interchangeable discs about the nine stars in Matariki, along with face painting, Poi craft making and Kapa Haka group performances.
