I’m so excited about the decision that from next year we get to formally acknowledge Matariki with a national holiday. Each year, in June or July, the reappearance of this cluster of stars at dawn in our skies marks the beginning of the Māori New Year. It’s a time for celebration and renewal, a time to give thanks for the harvest just gone and later, as the stars move across our sky, signals that planning for spring planting must begin. I love the way it tangibly links the stars in our inky night sky to our rhythms on Earth.
For these recipes, I’ve drawn on my food memories from a time when I was a tour guide,
