Lighting Up Christ Church Cathedral For Matariki

Flare Ōtautahi Street Art Festival, Offline Collective and Christ Church Cathedral Present Hurihanga

As part of Ōtautahi's Matariki celebrations, the city's most iconic heritage building has been illuminated by a powerful projection created by the Offline Collective's Sam Emerson (Ngāi Tahu) in collaboration with collective members Michael Duggan and Charlie Pitts. Hurihanga transforms the Cathedral's exterior into a canvas of light, honouring stories of renewal, remembrance, and whakapapa through breathtaking visuals and mātauranga Māori.

Flare project manager Selina Faimalo said this latest public art activation invites us to pause, wonder, reflect and connect in a conversation. “Hurihanga adds meaningful layers to the iconic Cathedral to reflect Ōtautahi's navigation of our past, present and future to reveal our connections to place and each other in recognition of Matariki” she said.

The Cathedral’s Dean, Ben Truman, noted Christ Church Cathedral has a long history of celebrating all kinds of special and civic occasions, alongside diocesan events. He said, “offering the Cathedral as a canvas for this Matariki celebration display continues our Anglican legacy of bicultural celebration and is an exciting way to unite our community around whakapapa and whakapono, remembering our personal and collective histories of family and faith.”

Hurihanga has been made possible by many donors who supported a crowdfunding campaign, highlighting the power of the community.

The artistic lead Emerson said, "We created Hurihanga to reflect ancestral stories and the significance of Puaka, the star to which Te Waipounamu looks for Matariki. The brightest star in Tautoru (Orion’s Belt), in Māori mythology Puaka's appearance means Te Waka o Raki is rising to bring loved ones to their final resting place in the celestial kingdom, a reminder to acknowledge those who came before us, but also to celebrate the present, and to dream for the future."

"Hurihanga harnesses this wairua and draws on the symbolism of the cycles of time, of wind, rain, lightning and the growing, harvesting and storage of food, to create a sprawling, transformative story that takes viewers on a journey far beyond the physical setting," Emerson said.

Suggesting the power of art and the diverse ways we can creatively activate our shared landscape, through the powerful lens of Te Aō Māori imagery and storytelling, Hurihanga is a must-see! Explore a new way of seeing the heart of the city this winter with this striking collaboration every day from 6pm - 10pm from tonight. Wednesday 11 June, for one month.

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