Matariki beach fires: Close to 10,000 people on Napier shoreline for Matariki Mahuika
Approximately 10,000 people gathered on the Napier shoreline in New Zealand for the Matariki Mahuika festival, a community event featuring beach fires and cultural performances. The tradition, which began after Cyclone Gabrielle, has grown into a major city-sanctioned celebration.
Why it matters
The event demonstrates how local communities can transform post-disaster recovery efforts into long-term cultural traditions that foster social cohesion.
The Matariki Mahuika fires this year. Photo / Derek Rossiter
Organisers say it’s likely that more than 10,000 people took part in a Matariki DIY beach fire event that continues to both capture and warm the hearts of Napier residents.
The Ngāti Kahungunu event Matariki Mahuika, now in its fourth year, was started after Cyclone Gabrielle when big piles of driftwood coated the shoreline.
This year Napier City Council embraced it as the city’s main Matariki event.
With little to no dry driftwood around, Pan Pac and Tumu Timbers donated offcut pine, which was left in mounds along the boardwalk near the Spirit of Napier statue for people to pick from for their fires.
It kicked off at 4pm on Saturday, with groups quick to stake their spots and start their fires.
Quickly, hundreds of fires were burning from the National Aquarium to Kinross White St.
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