matariki atua ka eke mai i terangi e roa,e
whangainga iho ki te mata o te tau e roa, e
divine matariki, come hither from the distant heavens,
bestow the first fruits of the year upon us.
last night was our matariki (the pleiades) lantern festival where the children all make a lantern and we have songs and lots and lots of fire (in braziers as we are a city school). we go on a lantern walk with the children to visit the grottoes placed around the school made by the children. next year prairie will get to do that but this year it was a mushroom lantern for her class. they looked so pretty when they were all lit. afterwards the children gather with their class and toast marshmallows and drink hot chocolate. this is my favourite festival of the school year.