Paora Mackie (left) and Kiley Nepia of Rangitāne ki Wairau sound conch shells at the beginning of Matariki celebrations at Wairau Bar, Marlborough, in 2009. Bringing together whānau and the wider community to mark the arrival of Matariki in the sky just before dawn in early winter is an important part of celebrations around the country.
This celebration had particular poignancy, as a few months earlier Rangitāne ki Wairau had reburied ancient kōiwi (human remains) of their ancestors at Wairau Bar. These remains had been removed by an archaeological dig in 1940.
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Marlborough Express
Photograph by Scott Hammond
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