Matariki is a time to reflect on the past year, celebrate the present, and plan for the year ahead.
Matariki is the Māori name for the group of seven (or nine) stars in the sky. They are also known as the Seven Sisters.
Matariki has two meanings, both referring to a tiny constellation of stars; Mata Riki (Tiny Eyes) and Mata Ariki (Eyes of God). The constellation was important for navigation and timing the seasons.
Traditionally, Matariki was a time to remember those who had died in the last year. But it was also a happy event, a season to celebrate and to prepare the ground for the coming year – crops had been harvested and seafood and birds had been collected. With plenty of food in the storehouses, Matariki was a time for singing, dancing and feasting.
Today Matariki means celebrating the unique place in which we live and giving respect to the land we live on.
A special feature of Matariki celebrations is the flying of kites – according to ancient custom they flutter close to the stars.
You can see Matariki, when the star cluster Europeans call "The Pleiades" rises in the north-east in the evening twilight. You can get a chance to see Matariki if you get up very early in the morning (just before dawn around the winter solstice).
Follow these steps and see if you can find Matariki...
If you are in New Zealand you must first find The Pot or Tautoru.
To the right of Tautoru you will find Takurua or Sirius, the brightest star in the night sky. A clue that you found it is its bluish tint it’s a blue giant.
From Takurua you just draw a straight line towards your left through the bottom of the pot. Following this line, you will first find a group of stars shaped like a cone called Hyades or Taumatakuku.
Look further to the left in the same direction and you will see Matariki.
The re-appearance of Matariki signals the start of the Māori New Year.
The precise date depends also on the moon, which is why it is not a fixed date (usually late May or early June). The rising is also affected by latitude, being later on any given day for viewers further south.
This year, we will celebrate Matariki on Friday 14 July 2023.
The Matariki Myth of Tamarereti is a favourite. At the start of the movie the sky was black, there were no stars. Tamarereti went out fishing in his waka. He caught 3 fish but then the wind died down and he fell asleep. The wind carried him to the shore. He made a fire and cooked his fish. Tamarereti saw some rocks that were glowing. He got into his waka and threw them into the sky. They became the stars of Matariki.
