Matariki: Papamoa

Time

  • 4:00 pm

Date

  • 27/06/2025

Organiser

  • VOYCE

Location

  • VOYCE Papamoa Office

For Matariki this year, VOYCE Papamoa, hosted a memorable Craft and Movie Night, bringing together tamariki and rangatahi (ages 8–16) in care from the Tauranga rohe for an evening of fun, creativity, and connection.

The event embraced the themes of Matariki, the Māori New Year, which celebrates remembrance, renewal, and hope for the future. To honour these themes, the evening began with a creative craft session where the tamariki painted beautiful Matariki stars and wrote their wishes on a communal “wishing wall,” sharing dreams and aspirations for the year ahead.

The fun didn’t stop there—friendly competition sparked excitement as everyone enjoyed board games like Jenga and Connect Four, adding an element of teamwork and lighthearted fun. A special makeup station was also set up, where tamariki could play around and experiment with different looks. The young people were appreciative of the change to take products home with them. The tūhono also sparked some great conversations, with young people offering ideas for future events to keep the connections alive.

As the night drew on, the highlight of the evening arrived—a cosy movie screening in the office cinema, complete with delicious pizza to keep everyone well-fed and happy. The atmosphere was full of laughter, excitement, and heartfelt moments as the tamariki settled in to enjoy the film.

The feedback from the tamariki was nothing short of heartwarming, with quotes such as:

  • “I love the people here.”
  • “This is the best day ever!”
  • “Can we please come back??”
  • “This is so much fun!”
  • “Can we have another movie night?”
  • “Can we have more pizza next time?”
  • “Thank you for the make-up!”

It was clear from their reactions that the event was an absolute hit and we can’t wait to hang out again soon!

A huge thank you to everyone who joined us, and we can’t wait to see you at the next one!

Promise Three: Learning

Education as a gateway to dreams, rangatahi are supported to achieve aspirations.

Promise One: Care

Every tamaiti receives nurturing, protection, and provision, as any good parent would offer.

Promise Five: Voice

Tamariki and rangatahi are involved in decisions that affect them, and their voices are honoured.

Promise Four: Wellbeing

Timely, accessible, and culturally conscious health and mental health services are available to all taiohi.

Promise Two: Stability

Young people in care experience consistency, safety, and a sense of belonging.

Whānau care is where a child is being raised by someone in their whānau or extended family. Often it means a child living with their grandparents – but could also be another family member like an aunt, uncle or older sibling. Whāngai is the traditional Māori practice of whānau care.