The season that marks the period of Matariki has found a home at the Auckland Airport. Auckland Airport, with the help of some of the staff, is celebrating Matariki for the very first time this year. This followed a challenge by the board of trustees to raise awareness of Māori within the company.
Twelve candidates from across the business who identified themselves as having roots to Maori Heritage were selected to go on a Māori Leadership course with Indigenous Growth Limited (IGL), funded by Te Puni Kōkiri. One of the ideas that arose from that course was Auckland Airport celebrating Matariki.
Carlin Robson of Auckland Airport Operations says "I think it's instrumental that we raise that Māori competency and Māori awareness around Matariki, not only just Matariki but everything Māori."
The course was over a 6 month period, 2 consecutive days a month with 2 of those sessions being overnight stays at Tāmaki Herenga Waka marae, just a few minutes from the Auckland International Airport.
One of the ideas that came from the course was digital printings on the Flight Information Display (FID’s) boards in the terminal, and another was the whakataukī 'He Waka Eke Noa' plastered on the massive curved LED screen on the corner of Verissimo Drive and George Bolt Memorial Drive.
Natasha Henwood, Assistant Accountant says, "We were able to present all these ideas to the board, and they were open to uplifting the Māori profile with those ideas."
"I think it's about bringing people together, which was our initial idea behind Auckland airport we didn't want to just get our people but also our stakeholders in the community."
For Donna Ammunson, it was about creating a space for all things Māori not just within the airport, but also in the hearts of the people.
"Let's learn about the heritage of our country, let's not be just the cover of our book, let's open these pages and share with the world our Māori heritage."
Auckland Airport has been celebrating Matariki for the past few weeks culminating in a Hākari for all the staff at Te Mānukanuka o Hoturoa. Carlin Robson says it's a special time for Māori working at the airport.
"Growing up, it wasn't given to me as a kid, and knowing where I come from, plays an important role."