Matariki

To celebrate Maori new year and winter solstice we attended the festivities at the Riverside Communtiy. Matariki, the seven-star constellation known as Pleiades in other parts of the world, marks the beginning of the celebrations. Our day began with Tanya telling us the legend of Rahi. The super short version: Rahi built a kite to find his beautiful wife who was stolen by the evil wizard. He is protected by the life force of the rock behind him while the evil taniwha (evil creature) prowls around creating a moat around him. The spirit of Rahi's father saves the day by creating an ice bridge to escape over the moat. Rahi continued his journey to a volcano. He blocks all the fissures and the trapped steam forces a huge eruption expelling his wife into his arms. Some say the fairies who had been under the evil wizard's spell became the stars in the constellation of Matariki. But I haven't even mentioned the Moa egg, the eagle and the cleverness of Ti Ara (Rahi's wife) in using the silverfern: long version here: http://www.maori.org.nz/papapanui/archives/ofviewthread.php?TOPIC_ID=102

Kite Flyers

Kite flyers representing Rahi open the game...

Ki-o-Rahi

Ki-o-Rahi is a ball game enacting the Rahi legend. Once the children improvised the playing field, the taniwha (supernatural creatures, in this case scary) tried to hit the protective rock with the ball. The defenders defended and tried to take the ball to the seven stars without going into the evil moat of the taniwha.

Snack Break

Sadly there are not photos for the end of evening. 7 aerial silk dancers performed the formation of the Matariki constellation and all eyes were mesmerized while they hung from the "sky".

Kayaking

Kirin was happy to go out with me for more than an hour collecting things along the way. His little sister was happy to hop in after lunch so she could yell "GO FASTER!!" and Miss Mya is happy to scoop the opportunity to be with Dad.

Swinging Land Kids Part II

Halyard Test

Julehygge

A Danish Christmas get-together for the winter solstice. Fire, spiced wine and cookies to warm up for winter.

Picnic

When Frost is New Again

Bucket Bath

What did we learn today? That 5 yr old Jira can pull Mya out of the water and back onto the dock. That the alarm system of Cory and Oden is very fast and loud. That a warm bath in a bucket after the shock of cold water feels good. and most importantly Mya learned that her lifejacket does indeed work well and more caution to prevent the feel of cold water on her skin is a good idea.

Shapes

Crepes

Climbing Masts

Cory found a new "mast" to climb. Mya wanted to climb Casteele's mast just like Cory. We told her she had to climb herself and we weren't going to pull her up. So she did.

Table for Eight

Swinging Land Kids

Hurray for Alex, Sam and Tom. Thanks to Tom for the opera!

Funny Faces Waiting for Snack

Happy Biking in Queen's Garden

The Three Year Olds Kayaking

We are used to people taking a second or third look when Mya or Owen go by in the kayak. Mom took a very long look while they traded places mid channel.

Beach with Mischa and Mya

Insulating

Cory thought he'd insulate his "house" just like mom and dad were re-insulating parts of Casteele.

Finding Fossils

Fall

Geometry

The arrows on the ends of the lines might be big but convergent and divergent are in there with parallel, horizontal and vertical.

PJ's

Mya likes to get the boys from Midnight Sun dressed up in her pajamas:)