Matariki Glow Trail marks the beginning of celebrations across MIT and Unitec campuses

The event marked the beginning of a week and a half of activities across campuses, bringing together art, culture and community while also forming part of Unitec’s 50th anniversary celebrations.

The centrepiece of the evening was a trail of fifteen illuminated sculpture installations created by forty-seven second-year architecture ākonga (students). Working individually and in small teams, designed and built the sculptures as part of a semester-long project exploring Matariki through the values of mātauranga Māori and Pacific knowledge systems.

Inspired by traditional Māori and Pacific navigation, the stories of Aotearoa and the relationship between people, place and the natural world, the installations reflected the values of whanaungatanga (relationships), kaitiakitanga (guardianship), manaakitanga (respect) and rangatiratanga (sovereignty).

Bringing the Glow Trail to life was a collaborative effort across the Mt Albert Campus. Alongside the architecture students, Camelia Pirika from the Māia team worked with kaimahi (staff) from Facilities Management, Events, Health and Safety, and Creative Industries to transform the marae into an immersive evening experience.

As part of the project, students also worked with Hinewaimarama Reihana-White, Kaitiaki – Taiao, Māia and Senior Lecturer – Ngā Wai a Te Tūī, learning how to harvest harakeke (flax) from the pā harakeke (flax plantation) outside Te Noho Kotahitanga Marae. Many incorporated the harakeke into their sculptures, grounding their work in the whenua (land) and the kaupapa that inspired the installations.

Keith Mann, Lecturer and Technical Teaching and Learning Advisor at the School of Architecture said bringing the Glow Trail back to campus after years at the Takapuna Matariki Market and Devonport was about more than a change of venue.

“The entire campus has been through so much over the past few years. It was the right time to bring the Glow Trail home. It’s wonderful taking it into the community, but right now it’s important that we’re here, bringing our own community together again.”

Mr Mann said the project challenged students to think differently about architecture while helping them build relationships that extended well beyond the workshop.

“They become a family while they’re creating these installations. You see them encouraging each other, solving problems together and building friendships that carry back into the classroom. That’s just as important as the final work they produce.”

Earlier in the evening, Matua Hare Paniora reminded attendees that Matariki is a time to honour those who have passed, care for one another and look ahead with hope. Reflecting on Unitec’s 50-year history, he acknowledged the many people who had shaped the institution over the past five decades, with a particular tribute to Sir John Turei. Matua Hare spoke of Sir John’s legacy in helping establish Te Noho Kotahitanga Marae and the signing of Unitec’s partnership document, Te Noho Kotahitanga, with Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei 25 years ago.

For Taharangi and Director Māori Success Vivienne Merito, one of the evening’s highlights was seeing generations of the community come together to experience the Glow Trail.

“One of the most special parts of the evening was seeing people of all ages enjoying the Glow Trail together. There were tamariki (children), rangatahi (youth), and whānau exploring the installations, and no one wanted to leave.

“Bringing the exhibition back to Te Noho Kotahitanga Marae felt like a homecoming. This campus is the home of our School of Architecture, so to see our ākonga sharing their creativity and that magic with the wider community made the evening even more meaningful. It really felt like the stars aligned for us to bring the Glow Trail home this year.”

The evening featured a performance by West Auckland kapa haka group Te Taha Tū, the launch of the new Mt Albert Campus digital hikoi – a virtual reality experience exploring the campus and its stories, food stalls hosted by our tauira (teachers) and the Whai Ake tuakana-tēina mentoring programme, and kawakawa tea served by the Māori Women’s Welfare League.

Chief Executive Professor Christina Hong officially opened the Glow Trail, encouraging attendees to experience the installations and connect with the students who created them.

“Matariki invites us to pause, reflect and look ahead with purpose. It’s wonderful to see our kaimahi, ākonga and the Owairaka Mt Albert community and beyond, coming together to experience the Glow Trail. As we celebrate Unitec’s 50th anniversary, evenings like this remind us that our greatest strength has always been our people and the communities we serve.”

The Matariki Glow Trail marked the beginning of a programme of celebrations across MIT and Unitec campuses, with events continuing over the coming weeks.