Nau mai te mātahi o te tau!
Aronui Arts Festival delivered the world’s first Matariki Drone Show in 2024, and in 2025 Aronui will bring a new celestial narrative and extended Night Market to the Rotorua Lakefront during the Matariki long weekend.
Last year, more than 30,000 locals and visitors witnessed the innovative performance commemorating and celebrating the Māori New Year. The choreographed drones will move to a unique soundscape of taonga puoro (traditional Māori instruments) played by Dr Anaha Hiini, who hopes the show serves as a vessel for sharing the rich cultural knowledge of Matariki;
“I want it to illuminate the stories, meanings, and traditions behind this sacred time. The show should offer both education and inspiration, helping people not only to understand Matariki, but to feel its presence, its history, and its relevance in our lives today,” explains Dr Hiini.
The free drone shows will kick off at 8pm on Thursday 19 and Friday 20 June. The Rotorua Night Market runs from 5pm until 9pm on both nights.
Nau mai ngā hua o te tau hou Māori!
