First Person - The country will be celebrating Matariki for the first time as a public holiday tomorrow, and Ashleigh McCaull writes that the time is a period to reflect, celebrate and to look ahead.
Aunties Cheryl Wilson, Amanda Haylings and Ami Savage with their their moko kauae. Photo: SUPPLIED
Five wahine from my Haweti (Savage) whānau (Ngāti Awa/Tūwharetoa ki Kawerau) will get their moko kauae in our family homestead which was rebuilt after burning down almost a decade ago.
In 2014 our whānau homestead in Kawerau was left significantly damaged by an electrical fire.
Aunty Manda Haylings said during that time she felt a huge part of her missing when the house burnt down.
"Living away from my hometown, I started feeling homeless. I guess you could say that I felt a bit disconnected from my whānau, I felt homeless, I got terribly homesick wanting to be back with my family and yet the health and well-being of our whare was in such a state."
Eight years later, the whānau have all worked really hard together and have finished rebuilding it.
The house officially opened back up to whānau last week, on the same day as my Aunty Ami's father, Koro Paul's, unveiling.
She described the period between the unveiling and receiving her moko kauae tomorrow as a great way to move forward.
"It's a whole ending of the old and coming into the new, it's a really beautiful cycle that we're ending and showing everyone with dad's unveiling and the timing of the Matariki that goodbye the raruraru bad things and hello to the good life coming"
Pohutukawa is the star in the Matariki cluster that represents those who have passed on.
This is the star the whānau will look to when they think of Koro Paul and our Matriarch and late great grandmother, Awarua, who the new homestead is named after.
When the fire happened, the only part not touched was our great-grandmother's room and the kitchen next to it.
Aunty Cheryl said it was the perfect name for the homestead.
"Our nanny was our mainstay, she passed away at the end of 1993 ... and I just wanted to acknowledge that I wanted her name and her legacy to be living and breathing and spoken every day when we talk about coming back to Awarua."
The kaitā who is gifting the aunties with their moko kauae is Aunty Manda's partner Uncle Murray.
Aunty Manda explained to me the wearer doesn't get a say with the design and he is the only person they trust to do the job.
"With moko artists, you really have to trust what they see. We don't control what they do to us we just sit there and they will look at our chins and they will make the call cause it's already there, they can see it and all they're doing is bringing it forward. So whatever he sees on our chins is what we're going to have."
Matariki cluster. Photo: Supplied / Auckland Council
Matariki - is the star in the cluster - which represents the well-being and health of people.
A suitable whetū to reflect on, as Aunty Manda has felt calm in the lead-up to getting her moko kauae.
"I know the kaupapa's right, I know the whole moment is right so because of that I'm ready to let it happen"
Aunty Cheryl has questioned if she's ready.
"I had a little moment of am I ready? it's hard to explain when I say am I ready. Inside of my manawa I know I'm ready but am I ready to wear it on my face and once Ami came onboard - kua tau te wairua - it all set , and no more worries and no more anxieties or second-guessing."
And Aunty Ami has felt a mixture of everything.
"I'm just overwhelmed, overwhelmed, proud, blessed, I'm just grateful. I'm prepping myself ready for this, for the whole thing to be pure and wholeness. Because I've been waiting for it for a long time but it's just a matter till when."
Hiwa i te rangi is the star that represents our wishes and realising our future aspirations - one that they will cast their hopes upon for this new chapter for the whānau in Awarua.
The morning they receive their kauae - this whānau will also be having their first hautapu ceremony - just one whānau - among many - who are reclaiming and learning the traditions and significance of Matariki.