It is the season of Matariki, the Māori New Year.

Matariki is the Māori name of the Pleiades star cluster. At this time of year, when the stars reappear above the horizon, New Zealand celebrates the start of a new year, looks forward to the future and remembers those who have gone before us.

Matariki is hugely symbolic for many people in Aotearoa and this year the shops in Greymouth are noting the occasion with displays. The textile studio has been decorated with an African print fabric of planets from the company Vlisco, hanging behind a child’s duvet cover with space exploration printed on it. A tiki made from vintage New Zealand textiles and leather is on a chair nearby and a small toy penguin sits in the centre of the display.

It is difficult to photograph the window at the best of times because they are large and the reflections obscure the picture but this selection of photographs shows what it looks like. In one of the pictures the observant will see a shadow of the studio logo with its Matariki star cluster and boat shuttle floating through the sky. The final image is of the logo on the windows.

Matariki is a special time of year. When the snow lies on the mountains and the crisp, cold air flows to the ocean from the Southern Alps we are reminded that Spring is just around the corner and that we should treasure this time of year for its peace, tranquility and extraordinary beauty.

Ngā mihi o Matariki/ Happy Matariki to one and all.