About Matariki

Matariki is an abbreviation of ‘Ngā Mata o te Ariki Tāwhirimātea’ and refers to a large cluster of stars, also known as the Pleiades.

The predawn rising of Matariki in the mid-winter sky marks the changing of the seasons and the beginning of the Te Mātahi o te Tau, Māori New Year.

Some iwi recognise this time of year by the appearance of Puanga, also known as Rigel. There are also regions where the setting of Rehua, also known as Antares, is used to identify the change of seasons.


Matariki Stars

Original image: Messier 45 Open cluster by Filip Lolić / CC 3.0. This image has been edited (rotated, cropped and stars tagged) by Parliamentary Library, part of the Parliamentary Service.

How to Find Matariki

Future Dates and How the Dates are Set

Follow this link to find out the dates for Matariki in the years to come and why the dates move around.