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Matariki 2023 at BestStart Puketaha Road
During the Matariki festivities, people gathered together to celebrate the passing of the year and the hope of a new season.
This year was an extra special Matariki event for us here at Puketaha as we remembered those who have passed on. It marked one year since we suddenly lost one of our special kaiako who had been at our centre for over 10 years. We spent the month prior learning about each star and what they represent, even transforming our Preschool quiet room into a Matariki room.
In the days leading up to our special evening, there was a hive of activity preparing food that had been donated by our whanau into soups and stews. We had invited the whanau of our special teacher Kim, as well as those in the community who wished to come along. It was this evening that we unveiled a swing and plaque in Kim's memory out in our nature paddock.
We hikoi'd outside in the dark, lit by our matariki stars, to the nature paddock where we sang songs and Kim's husband cut the ribbon to open the swing up to our tamariki.
Everyone felt the special spirit that surrounded us that evening.