Nine Stars of Matariki Celebrated in Limited-Edition WCF Chocolate Bar
The nine stars of Matariki - the celestial cluster marking the Māori New Year - adorn this new bar, specially created to acknowledge Aotearoa’s first public holiday to celebrate Matariki.
The new Kawakawa Dark Chocolate bar heroes kawakawa, a New Zealand native known for its healing properties and unique taste, with a base of ethically sourced Dominican cocoa beans.
100% of WCF profits from the sale of this bar will go to Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Toa to support Ngāti Toa students studying graphic design.
Wellington visual artist Xoë Hall (Kāi Tahu) designed the bar’s wrapper taking inspiration from Te Kāhui whetū ō Matariki(the Matariki star cluster). Each star represents the wellbeing of people and taiao (environment), acknowledging our wind, rain, food, wishes for the year to come and paying respects to those who have passed.
Wiremu Grace, Pou Toi of Ngāti Toa, says the sponsorship of emerging artists aligns with their values of enhancing the connection of Ngāti Toa whanau to the taonga of their tipuna.
Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Toa is committed to enhancing the wellbeing and prosperity of the Ngāti Toa people through means that empower and strengthen their cultural values. This reclamation of rangatiratanga for the Ngāti Toa people is a journey that is encompassed in the words of their ancestor Te Rauparaha.
Ka mate, ka mate, ka ora, ka ora, ka mate, ka mate, ka ora, ka ora. Ā upane, ka upane, ā upane, ka upane whiti te ra!”.
Gabe Davidson, co-founder of WCF, has wanted to celebrate botanicals native to Aotearoa in a bar for a long time and says kawakawa delivers a calming yet uplifting effect.
“It has a subtle and intriguing aroma that develops into a beautiful, mint-like character in the mouth. The Dominican beans have a classic chocolate flavour that supports the unique herbaceous character of Kawakawa. To hero one of our most important natives in a bar to mark New Zealand’s first Matariki holiday is very special,” he says.
