Matariki 2025: Rewi Spraggon explains Puanga, Matariki's older brother
We are starting Matariki 2025 week with a look at Puanga, the star Rigel in Orion.
Matariki is the public holiday we all celebrate this year on Friday, June 20.
But for iwi on the West Coast, there's not a lot to see. That's why they celebrate Puanga, in Māori
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Otago Daily Times
3 hours ago
- Otago Daily Times
‘Gift' of Olveston celebrated on Matariki
Lynda Short, left, with daughter Catherine Short, and granddaughter Grace Thompson, take a tour of Olveston yesterday as part of the Matariki celebrations. PHOTO: GREGOR RICHARDSON Nearly 200 people stepped back in time on Matariki yesterday. The people, mostly locals, were taking the opportunity to visit the historic Olveston house in Dunedin for the cost of an ice cream. Olveston home supervisor Alec McWhirter said offering the community the chance to visit the place for a nominal fee was in the spirit of Matariki. "It honours the wonderful gift the Theomins family gave us; and looks back as well as forward to the future. "We had at least 100 people through the home by noon; I would say there were at least 180 visitors to the home [yesterday]. "It's one of our busiest days of the year and certainly when we see the most locals. It's just really wonderful there are so many people who tell us that they've always wanted to come ... so we're really engaging with the community." Opened as a historic house museum in 1967, Olveston is a time capsule as little has changed inside the house since it was occupied as a family home from 1906 to 1966. "I think what really retains its appeal is the fact that, you know, everything here is original," Mr McWhirter said. "We live in this city with all these wonderful old buildings and all this wonderful architecture, but the insides have changed so much, whereas Olveston retains that kind of essence of the time. "People love learning those stories but also really connecting with the story of the Theomin family and learning how they contributed to their city and their time."
NZ Herald
21 hours ago
- NZ Herald
Matariki 2025: Rewi Spraggon explains Puanga, Matariki's older brother
We are starting Matariki 2025 week with a look at Puanga, the star Rigel in Orion. Matariki is the public holiday we all celebrate this year on Friday, June 20. But for iwi on the West Coast, there's not a lot to see. That's why they celebrate Puanga, in Māori
Otago Daily Times
a day ago
- Otago Daily Times
Motorists urged to be cautious
New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) is urging motorists to slow down and take extreme care as icy conditions are expected to persist this week on state highways in the South Island's Mackenzie Basin. A combination of freezing temperatures, fog, hoar frosts and black ice means challenging conditions for travel on State Highways 8 and 80 over the next few days, the biggest concern being drivers not adapting to the conditions. In a statement, NZTA system manager Mark Pinner said "On SH8 in particular, there are many sheltered areas where build-up of ice is a major concern." Mr Pinner said bridge surfaces could cool quickly, and re-freezing could even occur in the late morning. "We've already had reports of people driving too fast for the conditions and truck and trailer units fishtailing. We also know it's going to get busier later in the week, as we get closer to the long holiday weekend for Matariki. Reducing speed is the biggest thing drivers can do to keep themselves safe and to help keep the highways open." "One of the measures we are employing to slow traffic down are temporary speed limits which can be employed on parts of the highway network that are most at risk." The temporary speed limit of 50kmh had been put into effect on State Highway 8 at sites like each side of Lake Tekapo township, and near the Tekapo Military Camp, the Tekapo Flyover (over the Tekapo Canal) and Simons Pass. Mr Pinner said "This is not our usual approach, but the nature of the conditions forecast for this week means we need to use every tool we can to keep people safe on the roads." "Our typical de-icing agents are at the extreme range of where they aren't as effective, and while we are gritting the roads, driving to conditions is a key part of keeping road access safe also." "If the conditions warrant it, we will close the highway, most likely overnight and through the high-risk early morning period. People need to plan ahead if they are travelling in the area — keep an eye on our Journey Planner site." These precautions came after last week's closures of State Highway 8 in the Mackenzie Basin. He said at the time: "With the snow continuing to fall and roads becoming extremely icy at nights, our teams made good calls to do some overnight closures between Fairlie and Twizel in recent days." Mr Pinner said, "While we know these closures can be disruptive for some, I have no doubt that those decisions helped to prevent accidents and stranding of vehicles that could have led to much longer closures and even greater disruption. We know this because we have already had to deal with stranded and crashed vehicles in the last week, as people were caught out by the weather and road conditions." He said: "Preventing travel when the risk is at its highest also means less risk posed to emergency services that get called in to help when something goes wrong." "Closing down the highway overnight enabled our crews to work around the clock safely, to remove snow and de-ice, grit the roads, and then to lead vehicle convoys at controlled speeds through the affected stretch of highway to allow reopening." "Our crews have done some outstanding work on SH8 and other South Island highways over the last week to minimise the impacts on motorists and residents." Key considerations for winter driving include adjusting speeds to suit the conditions, being visible, increasing following distances on slippery roads and avoiding sudden braking or turning movements. "Winter has only just begun and we know there will be plenty more weather events to deal with. If everyone plays their part, then it makes life easier for all of us." More winter driving advice could be accessed at — APL
