As the Matariki star cluster rises at dawn in the north-eastern skies of Tāmaki Makaurau, the whāriki / welcome mat is laid out and Matariki ki te Manawa - Matariki at the heart – will begin. 

Experience the manaakitanga of Te Pokapū Tāone, our vibrant city centre, and witness authentic tangata whenua stories of place. 

A waharoa / gateway marks the place where the land once met the sea in Queen Street, manu / birds fly overhead and a chorus of birdsong is heard. Contemporary Māori artists will immerse midtown in waiata and music at scheduled times, and Elliott Street will mark its early origins and ‘eat street’ vibe with pātaka kai / food storehouse symbolism, suspended above the street in fluoro-neon art.

Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei and Te Kaunihera o Tāmaki Makaurau / Auckland Council, supported by the city centre targeted rate, are proud to bring Matariki ki te Manawa to the streets, laneways and spaces of Te Pokapū Tāone.