Your Reliable Partner: Matariki 2025
- AV Events
- Sep 10, 2025
- 3 min read
Back in July, we received an incredibly kind email from Oto Mück, the event manager at Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei—a deeply valued client of ours. He wanted to give his thanks for the work we did at their Matariki celebration in June:
“I wanted to take a moment to express my personal and heartfelt thanks to you and your amazing team at AV Events for the exceptional support you provided for our Hautapu Ceremony on June 20th, 2025, at Takaparawhau.
From the very beginning of the planning process right through to pack-down, your leadership and calm presence on the ground made a huge difference. The delivery of AV services — from power and lighting to PA systems, big screens, audio, camera setup, and recording —was faultless.”
As he notes, we provided a full-service setup: two outdoor LED screens, graphics, audio, lighting, and a full broadcast setup, including cameras, mixers, and a livestream.
But it was not merely the scope of our work that Oto took notice of, but also our intentionality. As he goes on to write:
“Everything ran so smoothly on the day, and your team’s professionalism, flexibility, and quiet efficiency were genuinely appreciated.
What stood out to me in particular (as it has many times before) was your responsiveness to last-minute changes and requests—nothing was ever a problem, and that kind of can-do attitude is rare and deeply valued, especially in the context of kaupapa Māori events like this one. You understood the tikanga and intent behind the ceremony and handled everything with the respect and care it deserved.
The quality of your work contributed immensely to the overall mana and success of the event. We’ve had incredibly positive feedback from our leadership, kaumātua, whānau, and guests alike, and your team's technical excellence played a key role in creating that experience.
Thank you again for being such a reliable partner and for the aroha and skill you bring to your mahi.”
We have been working with Ngāti Whātua for a few years, making this our third Matariki celebration. As the years have gone by, we have noticed the way that things continue to improve, both for us and for the iwi. So it is deeply encouraging to receive this kind of feedback, especially knowing how sacred events like this are for them.
But this is just demonstrative of the client-centric approach that we try to take with every event. As Oto said, we aim to be a reliable partner, a team who can come alongside you to help and serve you in your vision.
This is just one of the advantages that comes from being a full-service AV partner. By being the one team that a client needs to work with, we have the capacity to extend a relationship over the long haul; to give them a streamlined experience, build rapport, and deliver high quality events with them.
Moreover, when changes are made last minute—as can happen at events like this—we can pivot quickly. We always do our best to accommodate requests. If we think a suggestion will be a true detriment to your event, we will politely explain why. But most of the time, we act quickly and efficiently to support what you need to happen when you need it to happen.
We are honoured to work alongside Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei; to be continually welcomed onto their Marae and take part in the many different celebrations they put on throughout the year. And so, we look forward to our continued partnership and the many Matariki celebrations to come.
Photos: Julia Zhu
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