Rotorua, New Zealand – June 25, 2025 – Rotorua is taking cultural innovation to new heights as it prepares to host a world-first aerial storytelling event during Matariki 2025.
As part of the Aronui Indigenous Arts Festival, the city’s skies were lit up on June 19 and 20 with a spectacular drone show that blended Māori traditions with cutting-edge technology, drawing thousands to the Lakefront for an unforgettable experience.
The event, which combines synchronized drone displays with traditional Māori music and storytelling, is widely being praised as a significant cultural milestone and a new benchmark in celebrating the Māori New Year.
Drones Tell the Stories of the Stars
The upcoming 2025 edition of the Matariki Drone Show, a highlight of the Aronui Indigenous Arts Festival, promises to push creative boundaries even further.
Hundreds of drones will once again take to the skies over Lake Rotorua, forming animated shapes such as manu (birds) and the iconic pōhutukawa tree, each connected to the cultural narratives of Matariki—the Māori name for the Pleiades star cluster.
Guided by a powerful live soundscape featuring traditional Māori instruments (taonga puoro) composed by Dr. Anaha Hiini and Riki Bennett, the performance will be delivered in both te reo Māori and English. The stories include themes such as the journey of souls to the stars and the environmental signals tied to the Matariki constellation.
Dr. Hiini described the production as “a vessel for mātauranga Māori,” emphasizing its role in transmitting Indigenous knowledge and strengthening cultural understanding.
Building on Past Success
This year’s drone show builds on the success of the 2024 edition, which attracted over 30,000 spectators and earned the Mountain Jade Award for Creative Arts and Design at the Tompkins Wake Rotorua Business Awards.
New storytelling elements will be added in 2025, including a tribute to each of the nine stars of Matariki. These include Pōhutukawa, which honors the deceased, and Matariki itself, a symbol of unity and renewal.
The theme for 2025, “Matariki mā Puanga”, reinforces values of inclusion and diversity by inviting communities from all backgrounds to share in the celebration.
Matawiki: A Week-Long Celebration
Beyond the drone spectacle, Rotorua is hosting “Matawiki,” a four-day cultural festival running from June 19 to 22.
The Rotorua Night Market will expand in size and offerings, showcasing Māori kai (food), arts, and live performances by local groups, including a headline appearance from reggae band 1814 and kapa haka champions Te Kapa Haka o Ngāti Whakaue.
The celebrations began with sacred dawn ceremonies held by Ngāti Whakaue at Whakatāhuna Ngaru and Te Puia. These gatherings provided space for remembrance, spiritual connection, and setting intentions for the year ahead.
Events also include a Whānau Fun Day at Te Puia with interactive workshops in weaving, carving, and kapa haka. For younger audiences, the Sir Howard Morrison Centre is hosting the bilingual Matariki Glow Show, featuring giant puppets and engaging storytelling.
Cultural Innovation and Accessibility
Rotorua Mayor Tania Tapsell praised the drone show and Matawiki as examples of cultural leadership:
“We’re not just celebrating Matariki; we’re creating a legacy that blends our rich Māori heritage with innovation,” she said. “This is Rotorua at its best—welcoming, vibrant, and deeply connected to our stories.”
The festival is fully accessible to the public, thanks to support from the Rotorua Trust, Rotorua Lakes Council, and other partners. Organizers estimate an even larger turnout in 2025 as public interest surges.
Social media reaction to last year’s show was overwhelmingly positive, with users calling the drone formations “stunning” and “emotional.” One attendee described the traffic as “absolute madness,” underscoring the event’s massive popularity.
Looking Ahead
The drone shows are scheduled for June 19 and 20, 2025, beginning at 8:00 PM at the Rotorua Lakefront. Visitors are encouraged to arrive early, as the Night Market opens at 5:00 PM and space fills quickly.
For those unable to attend in person, the show will be broadcast live on Te Arawa FM.
As Aotearoa marks Matariki as an official public holiday on June 20, Rotorua’s celebration is positioned as a national and international showcase of Māori culture and creative excellence.
Organizers invite all to take part in this unique expression of Indigenous storytelling under the stars.
