Each year, the winter stars of Matariki signal the arrival of the Māori New Year. Traditionally, the rise of Matariki was a sign to ensure food crops had been harvested and the storehouses were well-stocked for the coming year.
Nowadays, Matariki has become a time of revitalisation and resurgence of te reo Māori and mātauranga Māori. Matariki is an opportunity to reflect and celebrate our history and make plans for the future.
In doing so, we acknowledge our traditions, language and culture, which together give us a sense of who we are.
The theme for our Matariki 2020 programme is Ngā Kura Huna: Sharing important knowledge and prized learnings that would otherwise remain hidden. This year the Tauranga City Libraries brings to you a four week 'virtual' Matariki programme. As we celebrate and learn together we take a look at the Seven stars of Matariki and look at ways to incorporate their meanings in our everyday life.
This week we focus on Waitī and Waitā.