Matariki

Use the reading and links below to find out what you can about Matariki

What is puanga/Matariki?

Puanga-nui-ā-rangi is the first star of the New Māori Lunar Year. He guides Matariki, his sister, who comes later. Some say Matariki was his wife (not sister), and that was a feud between Rehua and Puanga for Matariki Puanga farewells the old year and matariki welcomes the new year.

Every winter the rising of the stars of Puaka (Puanga) and Matariki herald the end of the lunar year and the start of the next within the Māori world. Traditionally Māori viewed the rising of Matariki as the time to farewell those who have passed in the previous year, celebrate the arrival of the New Year and prepare for the coming year in the custom of the local people.

Living by the stars - Rangi Mataamua

Ngā Whetū

The stars have always been a large part of Māori life. Planting, hunting, harvesting, gathering and navigation were all guided by the stars. Over the past twenty years there has been a rejuvenation in these practices. Māori have turned back to traditional practices guided by the stars.

The first sighting of Puaka (Kāi Tahu dialect for Puanga) on Te Pātaka a Rakaihautū was an indication of what the coming year would bring. Kāti Irakehu tipuna told of when Puaka rose from the ocean, he gave off unmistakable flashes. If the flashes are to the north and the star was low down and dim then the coming year would be a year of plenty. If the flashes were to the south and the star was bright and twinkling then it would be a bad year for crops. Matariki usually rises within three days of Puanga and its appearance confirms the tohu that Puanga showed. Both rise on the horizon on the same spot as the rising sun approximately an hour before the sun breaks the horizon.

The ceremony to welcome Matariki usually took place on a high vantage point. After arriving the whānau would prepare a small hāngī while they waited for Matariki to rise. The first sighting of Matariki was greeted with karakia and then the Tohunga Kōkōrangi would read the tohu. A fire would then be lit and those that had passed the previous year appropriately acknowledged. The conclusion of the ceremony would be the opening of the hāngī allowing the steam to rise up and give sustenance to those who had become stars. Prior to karakia, the whanau would formally farewell the old Lunar Year, then karakia would be said to conclude that part of the ceremony and begin the formal acknowledgement and welcome of the New Māori Lunar Year. (Rangi Matamua, Te Iwa o Matariki presentation 2016)

Puanga & Matariki:

Unlike the Western Calendar year, there are thirteen months in a lunar year. Māori measurement of time was based on nights rather than days hence the term ‘apōpō’ means after the night (tomorrow). The end and beginning of the Māori New Year is always marked in the cold months of the year. This was when the hauhake had been completed and the whare wānanga opened on Te Pātaka a Rakaihautū.

Traditionally, in some rohe in Te Ika ā Mauī, the Māori New Year commenced following the first new moon or full moon of the cold months, while in other rohe it commenced following the first new moon after the rise of Puanga and Matariki. With the revival of celebrations in the 21st Century the of the New Māori Lunar Year end and beginning of the New Māori Lunar Year coincides with the first new moon following the rise of Puanga and Matariki. Matariki sits on the tau ihu of Te Waka o Rangi while Puanga sits on the top of the taurapa. As such when Te waka o Rangi rises up at the beginning of the New Māori Lunar Year it is Puanga on the top of the taurapa that rises first, then Matariki three days later.

Puaka and Matariki are the stars that foretell the prosperity of the growing season of the coming year. All harvesting and preserving of the summer crops should be completed before they appear. The cold months were traditionally the time of the Whare Wānanga, the schools of learning. Understanding the stars, the environment and man’s connection to it, ensured survival of the individual and their whānau.

I went and had a meeting with some wāhine from Kāti Waewae. Their Matariki/puanga whakaaro (thoughts):

Matarikia for Māori is about indicators of our natural environment, it involves time markers and the reading of the marama (moon). One way to get to understand maramataka is to use apps or the internet to check in for each day’s maramataka - you will soon see how it matches your feelings, energy and actions. Hina is a good app for this.

Matariki is linked to using the moon for growing, making sure we are productive - for our survival. It's about a connection to our environment and is based on Māori time keeping. Māori time is always on time because it is a connection to the environment and is not based on Gregorian calendar.

Matariki is about Death and resurrection, it is letting our mate (dead) go, with the idea that one day we will see them again - an idea that is important for mental health - our wairua and spirituality. Matariki is a time to rest, to plan, to prepare to wananga. At the time of matariki we have long nights which are traditionally used for remembering those we have lost, remembering occurrence of the past (environmental), for waiata and for learning.

The first sighting of Puanga is determined by how we have treated Papatūānuku in the past year. Everything we do determines how we see the star - it is different in every region. How papa breathes is how we see the stars

Ariana:

Te waka o Rangi

Is all of the stars together - matariki, tau toru and te kupenga o Taramainuku (passess over earth every night and day, gathering those that we love and have lost), they make they way past the horizon on their journey - During matariki, the net is cast to the sky for our loved ones to move on.

Past: Pohutakawa - the star that leads our loved ones at Matariki. Acknowledging the loved ones that have past - returned to the sky as stars. This process happens throughout the year

Present: Connection and celebration. Matariki is the mother of the other stars (general health and wellbeing/connection). Cooking and offering these kai for celebrations is part of the celebrations.

4 stars relating to kai

Waitī

Waitā

Tupu a nuku

Tupu a rangi

Future:Ururangi, waipunarangi and Hiwa i te rangi - hopes and aspirations. Looking forward - weather and seasons, intentions for the year ahead.

Where the stars are visible before the sunrise tells us what month we are in, the moon phase tells us what day we are in, the placement of sun on horizon and environment signs tell us the season we are in.

Our tohunga used to take readings from matariki (observations of the stars) to tell us about the seasons (crops) and weather ahead.