Matariki ki te Maunga – Celebrating and Restoring Tauhara Maunga
To celebrate Matariki 2025, Greening Taupō was proud to support the Tauhara Collective for the second Matariki ki te Maunga event. At the heart of this kaupapa is Tauhara Ngahau, a long-term project led by Te Mana o Tauhara Charitable Trust to restore the maunga’s native korowai. By recloaking Tauhara in native plants, the project aims to bring back thriving biodiversity and reconnect people with the whenua.
The celebrations began on Friday with a special tamariki planting day. Around 600 children from kura and kōhanga reo joined together to plant 4,000 native trees. To mark Matariki, each tamariki wrote their wishes for the year ahead on small paper strips, planting them alongside their first tree and sending their hopes to Hiwa-i-te-rangi, the wishing star. It was a beautiful and meaningful way to celebrate the Māori New Year — through connection, reflection, and care for the land.
The following morning began early and frosty with a 5:30am hautapu ceremony, before 140 community members joined in to plant another 2,000 native plants. The sun warmed the hillside, turning it into a perfect day for planting and collaboration.
In total, around 6,000 native plants went into the ground over the two days — an incredible community effort! Most of the plants were supplied by He Tipu, with extra support from Greening Taupō, Tongariro Corrections, and Trees for Survival (plants grown by local students).
A huge mihi to everyone involved — Ngā Mahi Kaha for the hard mahi preparing the steep site, He Akina Limited for providing kai and support, and the Tauhara Collective for bringing this kaupapa together.
It’s a privilege for Greening Taupō to be part of this journey — helping recloak the maunga, strengthen community connections, and celebrate Matariki through action and aroha for the whenua.
To find out more about the Tauhara Nga hau restoration project - https://www.heakina.co.nz/tauhara-ngahau or check out the video Tauhara Ngahau Restoration Project - July 2024 Planting Events
