Mātāriki has been celebrated at Ashburton College with the announcement of a new student leader set to empower Māori among the student body.
Lucius Hunt was named the college’s inaugural Tātāriki during a Mātāriki dawn service at the school’s Te Whare o Tāwhaki.
Year 13 student Lilly George-Tarawa, who is the college’s He Kōtuku Koe, said the role was developed by students and staff through guidance from whānau and the wider Māori community.
The appointed Tātāriki becomes a student prefect who advocated for Māori perspectives and represented kaupapa Māori throughout the kura.
The initiative, raised and led by Lilly, was part of the college’s ongoing commitment to uplifting te ao Māori within the school.
He will shadow Lilly throughout the year and then lead in 2026, before mentoring the new Tātāriki from Mātāriki 2026.
Lucius, a student in year 12, said he felt ‘‘truly honoured and grateful’’ to be appointed the role.
‘‘It means a lot to have your trust and support and I promise to do my best to represent all of us with honesty, respect, and heart, ngākau pono.
‘‘This role isn’t just about one person: it’s about all of us working together as a whānau. I’m proud to stand with you and for you.
‘‘Ngā mihi nui, thank you again. I’m excited for what’s ahead, and I won’t take this responsibility lightly. Noho ora mai, stay well, and tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā tātou katoa’.
Seventeen-year-old Lilly said creating a leadership role at Ashburton College specifically grounded in te ao Māori sent a clear and empowering message to Māori students: ‘your voice matters, your culture is valued, and you belong in leadership spaces’.
Many Māori students grew up navigating two worlds: their cultural identity as Māori and the expectations of mainstream education, she said.
The new Tātāriki role aimed to grow young Māori leaders who walked confidently in two worlds, respecting both their Māori identity and their place in the wider society.
‘‘Tātāriki, a Māori-based prefect role, creates a pathway that is not only culturally safe, but affirming, where leadership doesn’t require leaving one’s identity at the door.
‘‘This role and its selection is based on a Mātāriki/maramataka timeline to keep in line with Māori traditions, making it entirely different from any role that has been introduced to the school before.
‘‘This role is not just symbolic. It reflects Ashburton College’s wider goal of creating a space where culture and education go hand-in-hand, and where Māori identity is respected, celebrated and nurtured; while also strengthening connections between kura, whānau, and hapori.
“A student leader with a kaupapa Māori lens can advocate for issues that affect Māori students and help bridge cultural gaps in school decision-making.
‘‘As the whakataukī reminds us: He aha te mea nui o te ao? He tangata, he tangata, he tangata. What is the most important thing in the world? It is people, it is people, it is people.’’
Ashburton College’s cultural diversity facilitator Mārie Maeva said she was proud to announce Lucius as the college’s Tātāriki for 2025/2026 and gave appreciation for the tāonga crafted and gifted by Kauia at Moa Toys to Lucius during the Mātāriki Hautapu Ceremony.
Principal Simon Coleman said the ‘‘amazing inaugural event’’ at the college’s Te Whare, at 5.30am on Mātāriki Day public holiday, was attended by staff, students, whānau and wider community members.
The school and Hakatere Kapa Haka rōpu provided polished performances before kai was shared.
The ceremony was followed by a full-school assembly the following Monday to introduce Lucius, and the new position, to all students and staff.
