Auckland Council has announced a new music and storytelling event for Matariki Festival 2026, inviting people to come together for an evening of reflection, connection and celebration at the city’s Town Hall.
Presented as part of Auckland Council Events’ annual Matariki celebrations, Ngā Reo o te Rangi: Voices of the Stars will be held on Friday, 10 July as part of Matariki Festival 2026, which runs from 4 to 19 July.
The major concert experience will bring together waiata, mātauranga Māori, kapa haka and storytelling in a gathering of voices, stories and spirit to mark te Mātahi o te Tau, celebrating renewal during the Māori New Year.
Headlined by acclaimed Aotearoa artist Stan Walker, with performances from Troy Kingi, Maisey Rika and kapa haka group Te Rōpū Manutaki, the event will celebrate the spirit of Matariki through music, kōrero and shared reflection.
Leading Matariki expert and advisor Professor Rangi Mātāmua (pictured) will also take part in a live Q&A during the evening, inviting audiences to look to the skies and reflect on the meaning and significance of Matariki and the Māori New Year.
Grounded in Te Ao Māori and the spirit of Matariki, the event offers audiences a powerful shared experience in one of Auckland’s most iconic civic venues.
Tātaki Auckland Unlimited Director of Māori Outcomes, Helen Te Hira says Ngā Reo o te Rangi will provide a meaningful opportunity for Aucklanders to connect through music and storytelling.
“As part of Auckland Council Events’ wider Matariki celebrations, this concert offers Aucklanders a meaningful way to reflect, connect and celebrate te Mātahi o te Tau in the heart of the city,” she said.
Stan Walker says performing as part of Matariki is a really special experience.
“It’s a chance to bring people together as we step into a new year and a new season,” he said.
“For me, Ngā Reo o te Rangi is about reflection, connection, and celebrating who we are through music and storytelling.
“Audiences can expect an experience filled with soul, wairua, and songs that honour both the past and the journey ahead.”
Professor Mātāmua says Matariki is a time to pause and reconnect, to remember those who have passed, celebrate the present, and to set aspirations for the year ahead.
“It reminds us that we are all connected through the stars, through whakapapa, and through the stories we share together,” he said.
“Music and storytelling have always carried the heartbeat of our people. Through waiata, kōrero and performance, we bring the spirit of Matariki to life, allowing communities to gather, reflect and celebrate the Māori New Year in ways that are both deeply cultural and powerfully contemporary.”
The full Matariki Festival 2026 programme will be announced in early June at matarikifestival.org.nz.
Tickets to Ngā Reo o te Rangi: Voices of the Stars go on sale at 9am on Tuesday, 26 May via Ticketmaster.
Event details:
What: Ngā Reo o te Rangi: Voices of the Stars
When: 7pm, Friday, 10 July 2026. Guests are encouraged to arrive from 6.45pm for a mihi whakatau
Where: Auckland Town Hall
Tickets: On sale 9am on Tuesday, 26 May via Ticketmaster: ticketmaster.co.nz.
