Despite ongoing diplomatic tensions, the New Zealand High Commission in Rarotonga hosted the annual Matariki celebration, emphasising the shared cultural heritage and deep connections between the Cook Islands and New Zealand.

The event to mark the Māori New Year held at Tamarind House Restaurant on Wednesday night was attended by Prime Minister Mark Brown, senior government officials, business and community leaders.

In her address, Catherine Graham, the New Zealand High Commissioner to the Cook Islands, highlighted the purpose of Matariki and its importance to the people of the Pacific.

“We are gathered here today to celebrate Matariki, the Maori New Year, a time of remembrance, reflection and renewal. In Aotearoa New Zealand, the rising of the Matariki star cluster marks the beginning of a new cycle. It is a time to honour those who have passed, to give thanks for the present and to set our intentions for the future.”

Graham emphasised that Matariki is not just a celebration for the Maori alone, “it is part of a much wider Pacific tradition, one that connects the Polynesian people across Te Moana Nui a Kiwa”.

“The great ocean that binds our island and our people. Here in the Cook Islands, you know the star cluster as Matariki as well.”

The appearance of Matariki later in the year will significantly represent a time of change, planting, fishing and community.

Matariki is about reconnecting with the land, the sea, with each other and with the wisdom of those who came before us.

Graham said the shared knowledge of traditions between Aotearoa and the Cook Islands is not a coincidence.

“It reflects our shared ancestry and our deep connection to the land, sea and the skies above us. Our tupuna, our ancestors, were great navigators,” she said.

“I experience the deep connection between our people every single day. Though we may live on islands far apart in distance, we are bound by the same ocean, the same stars and the same spirit of whanaungatanga or kinship.”

Cook Islands operates in “free association” with New Zealand and while the country governs its own affairs, New Zealand provides assistance with foreign affairs, disaster relief and defence. Its citizens hold New Zealand passport.

The relationship between the two countries has hit a rocky patch over the Cook Islands’ agreement with China in February this year, with NZ citing a lack of consultation. New Zealand has paused $18.2 million in core sector support funding to the Cook Islands, citing concerns over the nature and scope of these agreements.

Graham said Matariki offers an important reminder that the people’s collective journey as a nation is not merely about present-day interactions, but is greatly steeped in a shared history and the unbreakable bonds of family.

“It is a journey that is neither simple nor absent difficulty, but nevertheless it is one that is deeply valued on both sides, and it offers us the opportunity to both learn and grow together into the future, knowing that we are much safer together in a double-hulled vaka.”