New Zealand • April 5, 2026 • Sunday
Also known as: Easter Sunday
Ko te Rātapu Aranga tētahi o ngā rā tino whakahirahira i te maramataka o Aotearoa. Ahakoa he whenua rerekē ōna whakapono, he mea nui tēnei rā ki te taha wairua, ki te taha whānau, me te taha hākinakina hoki. I Aotearoa, ko te Rātapu Aranga te pūtake o tētahi rā whakatā roa e whā ngā rā te roa, ka tīmata i te Paraire Pai (Good Friday), ka mutu ki te Rāhina Aranga (Easter Monday). He wā tēnei e kite ai tātou i te huringa o te kaupeka o te tau, i te mea kei te ngahuru tātou i tēnei taha o te ao.
He rā motuhake tēnei e whakakotahi ana i ngā tikanga onamata me ngā mahi o nāianei. Mo te hunga whakapono Karaitiana, koinei te rā e whakanui ana i te aranga ake o Ihu Karaiti mai i te tūpāpaku, he tohu nō te tūmanako me te oranga hou. Mo te nuinga atu o te motu, he wā tēnei hei okioki, hei haere ki te toro whānau, hei kai tiakarete, hei poroporoaki hoki i te raumati i mua i te taenga mai o te takurua. He momo āhua motuhake tō te Aranga i Aotearoa – he mātūruhi te rangi, he koura te tae o ngā rau rākau, ā, he kakara te hau i te tunu kai ki waho.
He mea rerekē te Rātapu Aranga i Aotearoa ki ētahi atu whenua nā te mea he rā rāhui hokohoko tēnei. He rā e noho ai te motu i roto i te rangimārie, i te mea ka kati te nuinga o ngā toa nunui. He wā tēnei e māpu ai te manawa o te motu, e aro ai tātou ki ngā mea tino whakahirahira: ko te whānau, ko te hoa, me te taiao ataahua o Aotearoa. Mai i ngā tihi maunga o Te Waipounamu ki ngā tai moana o Te Ika-a-Māui, ka kitea te iwi e pārekareka ana ki tēnei rā whakatā roa.
He rā rerekē te rā o te Aranga i ia tau, i ia tau. Ka whakatauria te rā mā te tiro ki te marama pāpaku tuatahi i muri i te ekuinoti o te kōanga (i te taha raki o te ao). I te tau 2026, koinei ngā kōrero mō te rā:
Te Rā o te Wiki: Sunday Te Rā o te Marama: April 5, 2026 Te Toenga o ngā Rā: E 92 ngā rā e toe ana tae noa ki te rā whakanui.
He mea nui kia mahara ko te Rātapu Aranga he wāhanga o te rā whakatā roa e whā ngā rā:
Ko te Rātapu Aranga te kaupapa matua o te whakapono Karaitiana. E ai ki te Paipera, i muri i te matenga o Ihu i runga i te ripeka i te Paraire Pai, i ara ake ia i te toru o ngā rā. Ko tēnei aranga te tohu o te wikitoria i te mate me te hara. I whakatūria tēnei whakanui e te Kaunihera tuatahi o Nicaea i te tau 325 AD hei rā matua i roto i te hāhi.
I tae mai ēnei tikanga ki Aotearoa i te taenga mai o ngā mihinare me ngā manene mai i Ūropi i te rautau 19. I roto i ngā tau, kua whakawhanakehia e Aotearoa tōna ake huarahi whakanui. Ahakoa i tīmata hei kaupapa whakapono anake, kua huri hei wā whakatā ā-motu e whakanuia ana e te katoa, ahakoa he whakapono tōna, kāore rānei.
Ko tētahi āhuatanga motuhake o te Aranga i Aotearoa ko te tūnga o te rā i roto i ngā kaupeka o te tau. I Ūropi, he tohu te Aranga nō te kōanga me te oranga hou o te whenua. I Aotearoa, kei te huri te whenua ki te moe mo te takurua. Heoi, ko te tohu o te "oranga hou" ka kitea tonutia i roto i te taha wairua me te taha whānau.
He maha ngā huarahi e whakanui ai te iwi o Aotearoa i te Rātapu Aranga. Anei ētahi o ngā tikanga matua:
Mēnā kei te whakamahere koe ki te haereere i te wā o te Aranga i te tau 2026, anei ētahi o ngā wāhi tino pai i Aotearoa:
Tāhuna (Queenstown) me Arrowtown: I te marama o Paenga-whāwhā, kei te kōura, kei te whero ngā rau o ngā rākau i Central Otago. He tino ataahua te tirohanga, ā, he pai te rangi mo te hīkoi me te mātakitaki i te taiao. Te Whanganui-a-Tara (Wellington): He maha ngā whakaaturanga toi me ngā whare taonga pēnei i a Te Papa e tuwhera ana (ahakoa ko te Rātapu Aranga tētahi rā rāhui hokohoko, ka tuwhera tonu ngā whare taonga me ētahi whare kai). Marlborough: He wā pai tēnei mo te hunga pai ki te wāina. Ko te ngahuru te wā kotinga karepe, ā, he tino ataahua ngā mara karepe i tēnei wā o te tau. Taupō me te Takiwā o ngā Moana: He wāhi pai mo te puni me te hī ika. He marino te wai o te moana i te ngahuru.
Mēnā he tauhou koe ki Aotearoa, he mea nui kia mōhio koe ki ēnei kōrero e pā ana ki te Rātapu Aranga:
Ko tētahi o ngā mea e tino rerekē ai te Rātapu Aranga i ētahi atu rā whakatā ko te ture "Restricted Trading Day". Ahakoa ehara te Rātapu Aranga i te rā whakatā tūmatanui (public holiday) ā-ture (ko te Paraire Pai me te Rāhina Aranga kē aua rā), he rā rāhui hokohoko tēnei.
He aha te tikanga o tēnei? Ngā Toa ka Kati: Ko te nuinga o ngā toa hokomaha, ngā toa kākahu, me ngā toa taputapu whare me kati i tēnei rā. Ngā Toa ka Tuwhera: Ka taea e ngā toa miraka (dairies), ngā whare rongoā (pharmacies), ngā tūnga penehīni, me ngā whare kai (restaurants/cafes) te tuwhera. Ngā Ture ā-Rohe: I ēnei tau kua pahure ake nei, kua whai mana ngā kaunihera ā-rohe ki te whakatau mēnā ka taea e ngā toa o tō rātou takiwā te tuwhera i te Rātapu Aranga. Hei tauira, i ngā wāhi tūruhi pēnei i Wanaka me Queenstown, he maha ngā toa ka tuwhera tonu i raro i ēnei ture ā-rohe.
He mea nui tēnei ture i roto i te hapori o Aotearoa. He maha ngā tautohetohe e pā ana ki tēnei – ko ētahi e hiahia ana kia tuwhera ngā toa katoa, engari ko te nuinga e hiahia ana ki te pupuri i tētahi rā e taea ai e ngā kaimahi toa te noho ki te taha o ō rātou whānau.
Ahakoa he kaupapa i ahu mai i tāwāhi, kua roa te iwi Māori e whakanui ana i te Aranga. I roto i te maha o ngā hapori Māori, he wā tēnei mo te "Hura Kōhatu" (unveiling) i ngā urupā, he wā rānei mo te hui ā-iwi i runga i te marae. He maha hoki ngā hui hākinakina Māori ka tū i tēnei rā whakatā roa, pēnei i te "Easter Maori Rugby League Tournament".
He wā tēnei mo te whakawhanaungatanga. Ahakoa kei hea te tangata e noho ana, ka hoki te nuinga ki ō rātou ūkaipō, ki ō rātou marae rānei ki te kōrero, ki te kai, me te whakanui i te oranga. Ko te kaupapa o te "aranga" (resurrection) e hāngai ana hoki ki te whakaaro Māori mo te huringa o te wā me te hononga i waenga i te hunga ora me te hunga kua riro ki te pō.
He kōrero pōhēhē tēnei i waenga i te iwi. Kāore te Rātapu Aranga i te rā whakatā tūmatanui (public holiday) i raro i te ture o Aotearoa. Ko te Paraire Pai me te Rāhina Aranga anake ngā rā whakatā tūmatanui i tēnei wā.
He aha te rerekētanga?
Common questions about Easter Sunday in New Zealand
Easter Sunday falls on Sunday, April 5, 2026 in 2026. From today, there are exactly 92 days remaining until the celebration. This day is determined by the lunar calendar, specifically the first Sunday after the full moon following the vernal equinox. It forms the heart of a four-day long weekend in New Zealand, situated between Good Friday on April 3 and Easter Monday on April 6. Because the date changes annually, it is a key marker for the beginning of the autumn holiday season for Kiwis across the country.
No, technically Easter Sunday is not a public holiday in New Zealand, although it is part of a four-day holiday period. While Good Friday and Easter Monday are official public holidays, Easter Sunday is classified as a restricted trading day. This means that while employees do not automatically get a paid day off or time-and-a-half pay as they would on a public holiday, most shops are legally required to close. It is a unique day that prioritizes rest and family time over commercial activity, creating a distinct atmosphere compared to other weekends.
Easter Sunday is one of the few days in New Zealand with strict restricted trading laws. Most retail stores and supermarkets must remain closed. However, essential services and specific businesses are exempt, including petrol stations, pharmacies, dairies (convenience stores), and cafes or restaurants. Some regions may have local bylaws allowing certain shops to open, but generally, visitors should plan ahead and stock up on supplies before the weekend begins. These laws are designed to ensure that workers in the retail sector can enjoy a day of rest with their families.
Easter Sunday commemorates the resurrection of Jesus Christ, which is a foundational event in the Christian faith. The timing of the celebration was established by the First Council of Nicaea in 325 AD. In New Zealand, while the society is largely secular, the country maintains strong Christian traditions. For many, the day is marked by attending church services or sunrise vigils to celebrate the theme of rebirth and hope. Even for non-religious New Zealanders, it remains a significant cultural milestone that marks a time for reflection and gathering.
Kiwis celebrate Easter Sunday with a mix of religious observance and relaxed family traditions. For many families, the day starts with an Easter egg hunt, where chocolate eggs are hidden around the house or garden for children to find. Large family meals, often featuring a roast dinner or a barbecue if the autumn weather permits, are very common. Because it is a long weekend, many people take the opportunity to travel out of town for a short break, heading to holiday homes (baches), camping grounds, or visiting scenic regions like Queenstown and Marlborough.
Travelers should expect heavy traffic on the roads and high demand for public transport during the Easter period. As it is one of the busiest travel times in New Zealand, it is essential to book accommodations, domestic flights, and Cook Strait ferries well in advance. While government offices are closed, most tourist attractions remain open to accommodate visitors. Be aware that some regional anniversary holidays might be observed around this time, such as in Southland or Otago, which can lead to additional local closures or events.
Easter Sunday in April occurs during the New Zealand autumn. Visitors can expect mild daytime temperatures and increasingly cool evenings, especially in the South Island. It is a beautiful time of year for scenic drives as the leaves change to vibrant gold and orange hues, particularly in places like Arrowtown and Central Otago. While the weather is generally settled, it is always wise to pack layers and a waterproof jacket, as New Zealand's maritime climate can bring sudden changes even during the picturesque autumn season.
In addition to the ubiquitous chocolate Easter eggs and bunnies, New Zealanders enjoy hot cross buns—spiced sweet buns marked with a cross and filled with fruit. These are often toasted and served with plenty of butter throughout the weekend. Many families also take the opportunity to have a traditional Sunday roast or gather for a long lunch. In coastal areas, seafood is a popular choice, reflecting New Zealand's island geography. Because shops are closed on Sunday, the focus is very much on home-cooked meals and shared food experiences with loved ones.
Easter Sunday dates in New Zealand from 2010 to 2025
| Year | Day of Week | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Sunday | April 20, 2025 |
| 2024 | Sunday | March 31, 2024 |
| 2023 | Sunday | April 9, 2023 |
| 2022 | Sunday | April 17, 2022 |
| 2021 | Sunday | April 4, 2021 |
| 2020 | Sunday | April 12, 2020 |
| 2019 | Sunday | April 21, 2019 |
| 2018 | Sunday | April 1, 2018 |
| 2017 | Sunday | April 16, 2017 |
| 2016 | Sunday | March 27, 2016 |
| 2015 | Sunday | April 5, 2015 |
| 2014 | Sunday | April 20, 2014 |
| 2013 | Sunday | March 31, 2013 |
| 2012 | Sunday | April 8, 2012 |
| 2011 | Sunday | April 24, 2011 |
| 2010 | Sunday | April 4, 2010 |
Note: Holiday dates may vary. Some holidays follow lunar calendars or have different observance dates. Purple indicates weekends.