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Mr Rifle; Kia ora, each student must provide answers for 5 of the 8 questions below. You must also provide evidence, research to support your answers. Please complete by Thursday, April 2.

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Mr Rifle; Kia ora, each student must provide answers for 5 of the 8 questions below. You must also provide evidence, research to support your answers. Please complete by Thursday, April 2.

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1) What is Matariki?
2) What does Matariki mean?
3) What are the names for each star?
4) What does each star represent?
5) When does Matariki appear?
6) What does Matariki represent for Māori?
7) How and Who can celebrate Matariki?
8) How can we find Matariki?

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Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, Wellington, NZ

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Skip to main content

Matariki is a time to gather with family and friends to reflect on the past, celebrate the present, and plan for the future.

Here you can learn all about the Māori New Year, the Maramataka, and traditional Māori culture.

What is Matariki?

What is Matariki?

Matariki signals the Māori New Year. It is a time of renewal and celebration in New Zealand that begins with the rising of the Matariki star cluster (the Pleiades or Seven Sisters).

Matariki for teachers

Matariki for teachers

Book a Matariki education visit for your ECE or primary students, and download Matariki and Maramataka teaching resources to use in your classroom.

Matariki - Whare Tapere

Matariki - Whare Tapere

Download a free Matariki kids' activity book, read and listen to stories, explore Matariki facts, sing songs, and play quizzes in the Whare Tapere - the Māori house of entertainment.

The Maramataka

The Maramataka

The Māori calendar begins in June with the reappearance of the Matariki star cluster signalling the New Year. Learn the names of the months and nights in the traditional Maramataka.

Past Matariki Festival highlights

Past Matariki Festival highlights

Our first Matariki Ritual, the ever popular Kaumātua Kapa Haka, and panel discussions.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Skip to main content Matariki is a time to gather with family and friends to reflect on the past, celebrate the present, and plan for the future. Here you can learn all about the Māori New Year, the Maramataka, and traditional Māori culture. What is Matariki? What is Matariki?

# data[].attributes.body
Matariki is a star cluster, also known as the Pleiades.
Matariki means “eyes of god”.
3. And 4. The names of the stars and there meaning are:
Waitā-sprinkle of water
Ururangi-entrance to the sky
Tupu-ā-Nuku-earth
Waitī-sweet water
Waipuna-ā-rangi-spring
Tupu-ā-rangi-sky
Matariki- eyes of god
5. June
6. Matariki represents the beginning of a new time, and honours ancestors
7. Maori celebrate Matariki by observing the stars with their family and sometimes flying kites

Evidence
https://thespinoff.co.nz/atea/05-06-2019/matariki-what-to-know-about-the-maori-new-year-and-how-to-celebrate-it-in-2019/

# data[].attributes.body
1. Matariki is the name of the Pleiades star cluster and also the name of its first rising in late May or early June.
2. Matariki literally means ‘eyes of God’
3. Tapu-a-Nuku, Tupu-a-rangi, Waipunarangi, Waiti, Ururangi, Pohutukawa and Hiwa i te rangi
4. Skipped
5. Beginning to end of June
6. For Maori, Matariki is a time to remeber their their family / genes and those ancestors who had passed away to the heavens. (Hence the stars in the sky 💫)
7. Matariki is celebrated by gathering with whanau (family) and reflecting on the past.
8. Skipped

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.provider_name
Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, Wellington, NZ

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Skip to main content

Matariki is a time to gather with family and friends to reflect on the past, celebrate the present, and plan for the future.

Here you can learn all about the Māori New Year, the Maramataka, and traditional Māori culture.

What is Matariki?

What is Matariki?

Matariki signals the Māori New Year. It is a time of renewal and celebration in New Zealand that begins with the rising of the Matariki star cluster (the Pleiades or Seven Sisters).

Matariki for teachers

Matariki for teachers

Book a Matariki education visit for your ECE or primary students, and download Matariki and Maramataka teaching resources to use in your classroom.

Matariki - Whare Tapere

Matariki - Whare Tapere

Download a free Matariki kids' activity book, read and listen to stories, explore Matariki facts, sing songs, and play quizzes in the Whare Tapere - the Māori house of entertainment.

The Maramataka

The Maramataka

The Māori calendar begins in June with the reappearance of the Matariki star cluster signalling the New Year. Learn the names of the months and nights in the traditional Maramataka.

Past Matariki Festival highlights

Past Matariki Festival highlights

Our first Matariki Ritual, the ever popular Kaumātua Kapa Haka, and panel discussions.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Skip to main content Matariki is a time to gather with family and friends to reflect on the past, celebrate the present, and plan for the future. Here you can learn all about the Māori New Year, the Maramataka, and traditional Māori culture. What is Matariki? What is Matariki?

# data[].attributes.headline
Michael                                                                                                                1. In the Māori language, Matariki is both the name of the Pleiades star cluster and also of the season of its first rising in late May or early June. This is a marker of the beginning of the new year.

# data[].attributes.subject
Michael                                                                                                                1. In the Māori language, Matariki is both the name of the Pleiades star cluster and also of the season of its first rising in late May or early June. This is a marker of the beginning of the new year.

# data[].attributes.body
2. Matariki means the eyes of god

3

Alcyone – Matariki, eyes of Tāwhirimātea.

Atlas – Tupu-ā-rangi, sky tohunga.

Electra – Waipuna-ā-rangi, sky spring.

Taygeta – Waitī, sweet water.

Pleione – Tupu-ā-nuku, Earth tohunga.

Merope – Ururangi, entry to the heavens.

Maia – Waitā, sprinkle of water.

4.  Did not answer

5. Beginning to end of June

6. Matariki is the Māori name for the cluster of stars also known as the Pleiades. It rises in mid-winter and for many Māori, it heralds the start of a new year. Matariki literally means the 'eyes of god' (mata ariki) or 'little eyes' (mata riki).

Link to website click this

7.
Traditionally Matariki was celebrated by gathering with whanau (family) and reflecting on the past. The festival's connection to the stars provided an opportunity for families to remember their whakapapa (genealogy) and those ancestors who had passed away to the heavens.

Article click this

8. YouTube video click this

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.provider_name
Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, Wellington, NZ

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Skip to main content

Get the facts about Matariki - a star cluster known worldwide and treasured in Aotearoa New Zealand.

1. The reappearance of the Matariki stars signals the beginning of the Māori New Year.

However, not all celebrate at the same time. Some may begin festivities on the first full moon after the star cluster rises, or on the next new moon.

2. Matariki is a star cluster, not a constellation.

A cluster is a group of stars that are near each other in space. When seen from Earth, the stars in a constellation appear to be close together in a pattern, but they might actually be far from each other. There are about 500 stars in the Matariki cluster, but only six or seven are visible without a telescope.
The Matariki star cluster - are there seven or nine stars?
3. You can see Matariki for yourself.

From early June, before sunrise, look to the north-east horizon. Find the constellation Tautoru, or Orion's belt (sometimes called 'the pot'). Trace a line northwards from the three stars of Tautoru. Look for a faint sparkle of tiny dots, about the same width as Tautoru is long. This is the Matariki star cluster. Matariki can also be seen during the summer months in this location of the sky after sunset.
Watch a video on how to find Matariki
4. Matariki is one of the star clusters nearest to Earth.

Compared with other star clusters, Matariki is close to Earth - but it's still 440 light years away. If you drove there in a car at a speed of 100 kilometres an hour, you would arrive in 4.8 billion years!

5. Matariki has many different names around the world.

The star cluster is visible to the naked eye from most parts of our planet, and has many different names. In English, it is called the Pleiades (its ancient Greek name) or the Seven Sisters. The Hawaiian name is Makali'i, or 'eyes of royalty', and in Japan it is Subaru, meaning 'gathered together'.

6. Some iwi use Puanga (Rigel in the constellation Orion) as a signal for the new year.

Matariki's reappearance in the north-east sky is not visible in all parts of New Zealand, especially in areas to the west of mountains. For some iwi in Taranaki and Whanganui, and on the West Coast of the South Island, the new year begins with the rising of Puanga.
Learn about the difference between Matariki and Puanga
Astronomers explain Puanga and Matarik i

7. In the past, looked to Matariki to predict if the next harvest would be abundant.

The brighter and clearer the stars seemed, the warmer the growing season would be, ensuring a good harvest.

8. Many iwi speak of the Matariki stars as a mother and her daughters.

The mother is Matariki, and her daughters are Tupu-ā-nuku, Tupu-ā-rangi, Waipunarangi, Waitī, Waitā, and Ururangi.
Find out more about the names of the stars - the six sisters
9. For some iwi, Matariki is connected to the creation story of Ranginui and Papatūānuku.

One Matariki story is about when discovered that his parents and ad been separated. He tore out his eyes in anger and threw them into the sky - the stars are his seven eyes.

10. Matariki was used by the crews of voyaging to guide them across the Pacific.

Tohunga kōkōrangi Tohunga kōkōrangi expert astronomers used stars and star clusters such as Matariki to help them navigate great distances across the Pacific. Today, there is a revival of these traditional navigation skills. Crews have sailed double-hulled waka from as far as Rarotonga to Aotearoa New Zealand, guided only by traditional methods.

You might also like

Matariki activity book

Matariki activity book

Learn about Matariki through fun kids' activities. Featuring word searches, colouring pages, games, and stories, discover what's important during Matariki - whetū, the Maramataka, kōrero, kai, whenua, and whānau. Available in English and te reo Māori.

Activity book

Quiz: How much do you know about Matariki and the Maramataka?

Quiz: How much do you know about Matariki and the Maramataka?

Have a read through our online Matariki and Maramataka information before testing your knowledge on the Māori New Year and traditional lunar calendar.

The legend of Matariki and the six sisters

The legend of Matariki and the six sisters

There are many legends about the star cluster Matariki. One of the most popular is that the star Matariki is the whaea (mother), surrounded by her six daughters, Tupu-ā-nuku, Tupu-ā-rangi, Waipunarangi, Waitī and Waitā, and Ururangi.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Skip to main content Get the facts about Matariki - a star cluster known worldwide and treasured in Aotearoa New Zealand. However, not all celebrate at the same time. Some may begin festivities on the first full moon after the star cluster rises, or on the next new moon.

# data[].attributes.body
1. Matariki is a star cluster
2. Matariki means “eyes of god”
3. There are 7 names of the stars the seven sisters, Tupu-a-range, tapu-a-Nuku, waiti, ururangi, Hiwa I te range, waipunarangi, pohutukawa.
4.when does matariki appear, at the start of June-july (pipiri)
5.how and who can celebrate matariki, anyone can celebrate matariki and It’s about eating reflecting having fun and spending time with your family.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.provider_name
Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, Wellington, NZ

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Skip to main content

Matariki signals the Māori New Year. It is a time of renewal and celebration in New Zealand that begins with the rising of the Matariki star cluster (the Pleiades or Seven Sisters).

When is Matariki?

Matariki is a star cluster which appears in the night sky during mid-winter. According to the Maramataka (the Māori lunar calendar), the reappearance of Matariki, brings the old lunar year to a close and marks the beginning of the new year. Hence, Matariki is associated with the Māori New Year.
Ka puta Matariki ka rere Whānui.
Ko te tohu tēnā o te tau e! Matariki reappears, Vega starts its flight.
The new year begins!
Traditionally, festivities were conducted to celebrate Matariki, they followed the...

Expand English text

When is Matariki?

Matariki is a star cluster which appears in the night sky during mid-winter. According to the Maramataka (the Māori lunar calendar), the reappearance of Matariki, brings the old lunar year to a close and marks the beginning of the new year. Hence, Matariki is associated with the Māori New Year.
Ka puta Matariki ka rere Whānui.
Ko te tohu tēnā o te tau e! Matariki reappears, Vega starts its flight.
The new year begins!
These festivities included the lighting of ritual fires, the making of offerings, and celebrations of various kinds to farewell the dead, to honour ancestors, and to celebrate life.
Ngā kai a Matariki, nāna i ao ake ki runga.
The foods of Matariki, gathered up by her.

How is Matariki celebrated?

The twinkling of the Matariki stars in the pre-dawn sky heralds a special celebration for young and old. Across New Zealand, people come together to remember their ancestors, share food, sing, tell stories, and play music.

Te Papa's popular Matariki Festival began in 2001.
Fun and learning Remembrance
Matariki, as a marker of transition, was a natural time for families to mourn and honour those who had passed away in the previous year. These loved ones were believed to have transformed into stars - te hunga kua whetūrangitia - shining down from the heavens.

Close English text

He tau hou

Ka hau ake a Matariki, a Puanga ka hui te whānau, ka tere atu ngā mahara ki te tau kua hipa, ka whiua he hākari, ā, ka titiro whakamua ki te tau e tū mai nei.

He iwi mātai whetū ngā tūpuna. I ngā pō o Haratua, ka ngaro a Matariki i te tirohanga kanohi. Tāria te wā, ka mahuta ake te kāhui whetū o Matariki i te atapō.

E ai ki te maramataka, ko te aranga mai o Matariki te tohu o te tau hou. Ki ētehi iwi o Te Tai Hau-ā-uru, o Te Waipounamu ko Puanga kē te whetū tohu i te tau hou.
Ka puta...
Expand te reo Māori text

He tau hou

Ka hau ake a Matariki, a Puanga ka hui te whānau, ka tere atu ngā mahara ki te tau kua hipa, ka whiua he hākari, ā, ka titiro whakamua ki te tau e tū mai nei.

He iwi mātai whetū ngā tūpuna. I ngā pō o Haratua, ka ngaro a Matariki i te tirohanga kanohi. Tāria te wā, ka mahuta ake te kāhui whetū o Matariki i te atapō.

E ai ki te maramataka, ko te aranga mai o Matariki te tohu o te tau hou. Ki ētehi iwi o Te Tai Hau-ā-uru, o Te Waipounamu ko Puanga kē te whetū tohu i te tau hou.
Ka puta Matariki ka rere Whānui.
Ko te tohu tēnā o te tau e!

Tērā ētehi whakamārama e rua mō Matariki: ko ngā mata ariki ko ngā mata riki rānei.

Ehara i te mea he rite tonu te wā e ara ake ai te kāhui o Matariki i te tau. Ki tā ētehi iwi, ka kitea tuatahitia tōna mahutatanga ake i te atapō, koia te tau hou Māori. Ki tā ētehi atu iwi, kia kōwhiti, kia hua rānei te marama i muri mai i te aranga o te kāhui whetū koia kē te tīmatanga o te tau hou.

Te Whakanui i a Matariki

Ka kapokapo mai te kāhui whetū o Matariki i te atatū, he tohu whakatairanga mā te tangata, kauheke mai, tamariki mai. Puta noa i Aotearoa, ka whakamine mai te tangata ka hoki mahara atu ki te iwi nui kei te pō, ka kai tahi, ka waiata, ka kōrero tahi anō hoki.

I ahatia ngā tūpuna i te wā o Matariki?

Ka ara ake te kāhui whetū o Matariki i te wā o te makariri, i te takiwā o te takanga o te rā (te rā poto rawa o te tau). Ā, ka roa ngā rā, ka toro atu ki te wā o te Kōanga, ki te Raumati rā anō. I te wā i a rātou mā, pēnei i ēnei rā, he kaupapa a Matariki hei kawe i ngā tūmanako o te whānau - he tohu nō te whakarauora, nō te whakaohooho, nō te tau hou e tū mai nei.
Māoka ko te hunu
Ka kitea a Matariki, kua mutu noa te hauhake māra, te kōtutu manu, te pāwhara ika me ērā mahi kai a te iwi. Kua kī ngā pātaka i te kai, kua mutu ngā mahi i te māra, ā, kua wātea te whānau ki te noho ngātahi, ki ngā mahi a te whare wānanga, a te whare tapere hoki.
Ngā kai a Matariki, nāna i ao ake ki runga
Ka mātaihia te kāhui whetū o Matariki ki te kimi i ōna tohu. Mehemea he mārama te kite i ngā whetū e pīrakorako mai ana, he mahana te tau e tū mai nei, he nui ngā hua ka puta i ngā māra kai. Mehemea e rehurehu ana te āhua o ngā whetū, he makariri te tau, he iti te kai.
Te kāinga
Ka piri te whānau ki te takuahi i ngā pō roa o te Hōtoke, ka kōrero mō te tau kua hipa, ka titiro whakamua ki te tau e tū mai nei. He wānanga, he kōrero tuku iho, he kōrero pūrākau te mahi.
Te whare tapere
Koia te whare whakangahau o te iwi. Ōna taonga ko te kōrero, ko te haka, ko te waiata, ko te taonga puoro, ko te karetao, ko ngā taonga a Wharawhara, ā, ko ngā tākaro anō hoki. E pēnei ana te kaupapa nui o te whare tapere:

Kia kawea tātou e te rēhia

Nā, ko te whare tapere tētahi o ngā whakahaere nui a te iwi i muri mai i te hautanga a Matariki.
Kua takitahi ngā whetū o Matariki
Ko Matariki te wā e mahara atu ai te whānau ki te hunga kua whetūrangitia i te tau kua hipa. Mō te roanga atu o te tau, e ihu oneone ana te whānau katoa, engari anō a Matariki, he wā whakatā.

Close te reo Māori text

You might also like

The difference between Puanga and Matariki

The difference between Puanga and Matariki

Some iwi celebrate Puanga rather than Matariki. Che Wilson of Whanganui iwi explains why this is the case, and which iwi celebrate Puanga.

Matariki star facts

Matariki star facts

Get the facts about Matariki - a star cluster known worldwide and treasured in Aotearoa New Zealand.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Skip to main content Matariki signals the Māori New Year. It is a time of renewal and celebration in New Zealand that begins with the rising of the Matariki star cluster (the Pleiades or Seven Sisters). Matariki is a star cluster which appears in the night sky during mid-winter.

# data[].attributes.body
1. Matariki is a star cluster
2. Matariki means ‘eyes of God’
3. Beginning to the end of June
4. Matariki is the Maori new year
5. Matariki is a star cluster

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.provider_name
Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, Wellington, NZ

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Skip to main content

Get the facts about Matariki - a star cluster known worldwide and treasured in Aotearoa New Zealand.

1. The reappearance of the Matariki stars signals the beginning of the Māori New Year.

However, not all celebrate at the same time. Some may begin festivities on the first full moon after the star cluster rises, or on the next new moon.

2. Matariki is a star cluster, not a constellation.

A cluster is a group of stars that are near each other in space. When seen from Earth, the stars in a constellation appear to be close together in a pattern, but they might actually be far from each other. There are about 500 stars in the Matariki cluster, but only six or seven are visible without a telescope.
The Matariki star cluster - are there seven or nine stars?
3. You can see Matariki for yourself.

From early June, before sunrise, look to the north-east horizon. Find the constellation Tautoru, or Orion's belt (sometimes called 'the pot'). Trace a line northwards from the three stars of Tautoru. Look for a faint sparkle of tiny dots, about the same width as Tautoru is long. This is the Matariki star cluster. Matariki can also be seen during the summer months in this location of the sky after sunset.
Watch a video on how to find Matariki
4. Matariki is one of the star clusters nearest to Earth.

Compared with other star clusters, Matariki is close to Earth - but it's still 440 light years away. If you drove there in a car at a speed of 100 kilometres an hour, you would arrive in 4.8 billion years!

5. Matariki has many different names around the world.

The star cluster is visible to the naked eye from most parts of our planet, and has many different names. In English, it is called the Pleiades (its ancient Greek name) or the Seven Sisters. The Hawaiian name is Makali'i, or 'eyes of royalty', and in Japan it is Subaru, meaning 'gathered together'.

6. Some iwi use Puanga (Rigel in the constellation Orion) as a signal for the new year.

Matariki's reappearance in the north-east sky is not visible in all parts of New Zealand, especially in areas to the west of mountains. For some iwi in Taranaki and Whanganui, and on the West Coast of the South Island, the new year begins with the rising of Puanga.
Learn about the difference between Matariki and Puanga
Astronomers explain Puanga and Matarik i

7. In the past, looked to Matariki to predict if the next harvest would be abundant.

The brighter and clearer the stars seemed, the warmer the growing season would be, ensuring a good harvest.

8. Many iwi speak of the Matariki stars as a mother and her daughters.

The mother is Matariki, and her daughters are Tupu-ā-nuku, Tupu-ā-rangi, Waipunarangi, Waitī, Waitā, and Ururangi.
Find out more about the names of the stars - the six sisters
9. For some iwi, Matariki is connected to the creation story of Ranginui and Papatūānuku.

One Matariki story is about when discovered that his parents and ad been separated. He tore out his eyes in anger and threw them into the sky - the stars are his seven eyes.

10. Matariki was used by the crews of voyaging to guide them across the Pacific.

Tohunga kōkōrangi Tohunga kōkōrangi expert astronomers used stars and star clusters such as Matariki to help them navigate great distances across the Pacific. Today, there is a revival of these traditional navigation skills. Crews have sailed double-hulled waka from as far as Rarotonga to Aotearoa New Zealand, guided only by traditional methods.

You might also like

Matariki activity book

Matariki activity book

Learn about Matariki through fun kids' activities. Featuring word searches, colouring pages, games, and stories, discover what's important during Matariki - whetū, the Maramataka, kōrero, kai, whenua, and whānau. Available in English and te reo Māori.

Activity book

Quiz: How much do you know about Matariki and the Maramataka?

Quiz: How much do you know about Matariki and the Maramataka?

Have a read through our online Matariki and Maramataka information before testing your knowledge on the Māori New Year and traditional lunar calendar.

The legend of Matariki and the six sisters

The legend of Matariki and the six sisters

There are many legends about the star cluster Matariki. One of the most popular is that the star Matariki is the whaea (mother), surrounded by her six daughters, Tupu-ā-nuku, Tupu-ā-rangi, Waipunarangi, Waitī and Waitā, and Ururangi.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Skip to main content Get the facts about Matariki - a star cluster known worldwide and treasured in Aotearoa New Zealand. However, not all celebrate at the same time. Some may begin festivities on the first full moon after the star cluster rises, or on the next new moon.

# data[].attributes.body
1.Matariki is a star cluster.
2.Matariki means eyes of god.
3.

Alcyone – Matariki, eyes of Tāwhirimātea.

Atlas – Tupu-ā-rangi, sky tohunga.

Electra – Waipuna-ā-rangi, sky spring.

Taygeta – Waitī, sweet water.

Pleione – Tupu-ā-nuku, Earth tohunga.

Merope – Ururangi, entry to the heavens.

Maia – Waitā, sprinkle of water.

4.The stars represent the eyes of Tawhirimatea.
5.June.
6.Maori new year.
7. Anyone can celebrate Matariki.
8.look at the north and east skies at 5:30 or 6am

Websites used:
Tears.govt https://teara.govt.nz/en/matariki-maori-new-year
Kiwifamilies https://www.kiwifamilies.co.nz/articles/matariki-maori-new-year/
Tepapa https://www.tepapa.govt.nz/discover-collections/read-watch-play/maori/matariki-maori-new-year/whare-tapere/matariki-star-facts

# data[].attributes.body
- What is Matariki?

Matariki is a cluster of stars seen in the night sky in June. It is of great cultural importance to the Maori people culturally as it symbols eyes of Tawhirimatea when he threw them up in rage.

- What does Matariki mean?

Matariki translates to ‘eyes of god’. They were the eyes of the Maori god of Wind ‘Tawhirimatea

- What are the names for each star?

The names of the stars are Matariki, Waiti, Waita, Pohutukawa, Ururangi, Tapu-a-rangi, Tapu-a-nuku, Hiwa-i-te-rangi, Waipuna-a-rangi

- What does each star represent?

Each star represents to eyes of Tawhirimatea, Grey also symbolise the Maori New year

- When does Matariki appear?

It appears in June

- What does Matariki represent for Māori?

It represents the Maori New Year

- How and Who can we celebrate Matariki?

Anyone can celebrate Matariki, it is celebrated all around the world with different names and different meanings of cultural importance c

- How can we find Matariki?

Look up into the north east skies at around 5:30 to 6:30 am.

https://teara.govt.nz/en/matariki-maori-new-year

# data[].attributes.body
1. A star cluster close to earth visible by early Maori
2.
3. Tupu-a-rangi, Waipuna-rangi, Waita, Waiti, Tupu-a-nuku, Ururangi, Matariki
4.
5. They can be seen in June
6. Matariki represent the start of the Maori new year
7.  Matariki can be celebrated by anyone and is celebrated worldwide. Here in NZ it is generally celebrated by reflecting on the year and looking forward to the year ahead.
8. Matariki can be found normally between 5:30 and 6:30 in the north east sky.
Website: https://blog.teara.govt.nz/2008/06/05/a-beginner%E2%80%99s-guide-to-finding-matariki/
Website: https://www.heartfoundation.org.nz/about-us/news/blogs/ways-to-celebrate-matariki-with-your-familyhttps://www.heartfoundation.org.nz/about-us/news/blogs/ways-to-celebrate-matariki-with-your-family

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1: Matariki is a star cluster as well a Maori occasion that signifies the start of the Maori new year.
https://www.tepapa.govt.nz/discover-collections/read-watch-play/maori/matariki-maori-new-year/what-matariki
2: Matariki means Eyes of God
https://teara.govt.nz/en/matariki-maori-new-year
3: Alcyone – Matariki, eyes of Tāwhirimātea, Atlas – Tupu-ā-rangi, sky tohunga, Electra – Waipuna-ā-rangi, sky spring, Taygeta – Waitī, sweet water, Pleione – Tupu-ā-nuku, Earth tohunga, Merope – Ururangi, entry to the heavens, Maia – Waitā, sprinkle of water

https://www.sciencelearn.org.nz/resources/2322-the-matariki-star-cluster
4: (skipped)
5: Matariki starts at June 20th through to July 15th
https://www.hirecar.co.nz/blog/local-events/matariki-festival-2020/
6: (skipped)
7: have fun with your loved ones, you can celebrate Matariki by playing games and telling stories
https://www.heartfoundation.org.nz/about-us/news/blogs/ways-to-celebrate-matariki-with-your-family
8: (skipped)

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1. Matariki is a star cluster that is annually celebrated.
2. The word Matariki translates to “eyes of god” or “little eyes”.
3. Each stars are named individually, they are: Alcyone, Atlas, Electra, Taygeta, Pleione, Merope, Maia.
4. Each star represents something important:
Alcyone - Matariki
Atla - sky tohunga
Electra - sky spring
Taygeta - sweet water
Pleione - earth tohunga
Merope - entry to the heavens
Maia - sprinkle of water
5. Matariki will appear every year in the middle of winter although the festival is typically near the end of June.

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Matariki is a time to gather with friends and family and reflect on the year that has been and plan for the year ahead. Here's a quick explainer.
Extra reporting by Leonie Hayden
Matariki is the Māori name for the Pleaides star cluster. It rises during Pipiri (June/July) and marks the beginning of the Māori new year. The word is an abbreviation of Ngā Mata o te Ariki (Eyes of God) in reference to Tāwhirimātea, god of the wind and weather. In the story of creation, Tāne Mahuta (god of the forest) separated his parents Ranginui and Papatūānuku, and his brother Tāwhirimātea got upset and tore out his eyes, crushed them into pieces and thew them into the sky.

How many stars are there again?

Matariki has long been thought of as a seven-star cluster, and is often referred to as the Seven Sisters - in Greek mythology, the Pleiads were the seven daughters of Atlas. In recent years Māori astronomer Dr Rangi Mātāmua (Tūhoe), carrying on the work of his grandfather, astronomer Te Kōkau Himiona Te Pikikōtuku, has shared the mātauranga that two of the stars were forgotten over time - Pōhutukawa and Hiwaiterangi - and there are actually nine.

Te Iwa o Matariki are:

1. Matariki - signifies reflection, hope and our connection to the environment

2. Pōhutukawa - connects with those who have passed on

3. Waitī - ties to bodies of fresh water and the food within it

4. Waitā - ties to the ocean and the food within it

5. Waipuna-ā-rangi - associated with the rain

6. Tupuānuku - is for food that grows within the soil

7. Tupuārangi - is for food that grows up in the trees

8. Ururangi - is the star associated with the winds

9. Hiwa-i-te-rangi - the youngest, is the wishing star that also ties into our aspirations for the coming year

When Matariki disappeared in April/May, it was time to preserve crops for the winter season. When it re-appeared in June/July our ancestors could read the whetū to predict the success of the season ahead; clear bright stars are a good omen and hazy stars predict a cold, harsh winter. If one star is brighter than another, there will be lots of yummy kai from the source it represents. If one is more dim, or completely missing, you can say haere rā to that kai source for the year, there won't be much of it.

Does everyone celebrate Matariki?

Some iwi look to Puanga/Puaka, known as Rigel in Orion, as the New Year star. It rises earlier than Matariki and in some parts of the country its brightness makes it clearer to see during twilight.

So when can we see all these stars?

Puanga is due to rise 8 June, and according to the maramataka, in 2019 Matariki will be most visible between 25 June - 3 July. This video from Martin Awa Clarke Langdon (Tainui, Ngāi Tahu) from Te Papa's learning team explains how to find both Puanga and Matariki in the night sky.

Hold up, what is the maramataka?

Maramataka is the Māori lunar calendar. Many indigenous cultures around the world have their own version of the maramataka which aligns with the phases of the moon, rather than the common Gregorian calendar. The maramataka Māori is made up of twelve, 29.5 day months and a 354-day year. We're currently in the coldest period of the maramataka and some clever tūpuna named the months accordingly. Piripi (June/July) means huddled close together and Hōngoingoi (July/August) is being inactive and crouching, due to the cold.

The maramataka also tells us the best days for planting and fishing and it tells us the high and low energy days that affect people's moods. So don't be too harsh on workmates that are making you hōhā, it might just be the wrong day on the maramataka.

So do we have a count down and fireworks to celebrate the New Year?

Matariki is a time of remembrance, paying respect to those who have passed on and a time for new beginnings to plan for the year ahead. Matariki festivals and celebrations happen throughout the country during June and July. Check your local council, school or marae for events taking place in your area.

This year, Auckland and Wellington have month-long programmes of theatre, film, visual arts, food, performance, environmental activations and community events, plus there's heaps going on in the community. If you want to celebrate Matariki as a whānau you could visit the graves of loved ones, come together for a kai and karakia, or walk up your local maunga to view the stars.

Where can I find out more?

Two suggestions: This excellent resource from Te Wānanga o Aotearoa. And this fascinating podcast from Dr Rangi Mātāmua, in which he shares a Māori perspective on astronomical and cosmological links relevant to Matariki.
The Spinoff Weekly compiles the best stories of the week - an essential guide to modern life in New Zealand, emailed out on Monday evenings.

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Matariki: about the Māori New Year and how to celebrate it in 2019

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Matariki is a time to gather with friends and family and reflect on the year that has been and plan for the year ahead. Here's a quick explainer. Extra reporting by Leonie Hayden Matariki is the Māori name for the Pleaides star cluster.

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1. Matariki is a star cluster which appears in the night of mid-winter.
2. Matariki means “small eyes”
3. Skip.
4.Skip.
5. At night in mid-winter.
6. Matariki represents the new year of Maori culture.
7. Skip
8. The easiest way to find Matariki is to first look up at the night sky and find Tautoru. Next, work from right to left past a triangular-shaped cluster called Te Kokota . You will then come across the small cluster of Matariki.

Links
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=x3FQ-jyydF8

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Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, Wellington, NZ

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Skip to main content

Matariki signals the Māori New Year. It is a time of renewal and celebration in New Zealand that begins with the rising of the Matariki star cluster (the Pleiades or Seven Sisters).

When is Matariki?

Matariki is a star cluster which appears in the night sky during mid-winter. According to the Maramataka (the Māori lunar calendar), the reappearance of Matariki, brings the old lunar year to a close and marks the beginning of the new year. Hence, Matariki is associated with the Māori New Year.
Ka puta Matariki ka rere Whānui.
Ko te tohu tēnā o te tau e! Matariki reappears, Vega starts its flight.
The new year begins!
Traditionally, festivities were conducted to celebrate Matariki, they followed the...

Expand English text

When is Matariki?

Matariki is a star cluster which appears in the night sky during mid-winter. According to the Maramataka (the Māori lunar calendar), the reappearance of Matariki, brings the old lunar year to a close and marks the beginning of the new year. Hence, Matariki is associated with the Māori New Year.
Ka puta Matariki ka rere Whānui.
Ko te tohu tēnā o te tau e! Matariki reappears, Vega starts its flight.
The new year begins!
These festivities included the lighting of ritual fires, the making of offerings, and celebrations of various kinds to farewell the dead, to honour ancestors, and to celebrate life.
Ngā kai a Matariki, nāna i ao ake ki runga.
The foods of Matariki, gathered up by her.

How is Matariki celebrated?

The twinkling of the Matariki stars in the pre-dawn sky heralds a special celebration for young and old. Across New Zealand, people come together to remember their ancestors, share food, sing, tell stories, and play music.

Te Papa's popular Matariki Festival began in 2001.
Fun and learning Remembrance
Matariki, as a marker of transition, was a natural time for families to mourn and honour those who had passed away in the previous year. These loved ones were believed to have transformed into stars - te hunga kua whetūrangitia - shining down from the heavens.

Close English text

He tau hou

Ka hau ake a Matariki, a Puanga ka hui te whānau, ka tere atu ngā mahara ki te tau kua hipa, ka whiua he hākari, ā, ka titiro whakamua ki te tau e tū mai nei.

He iwi mātai whetū ngā tūpuna. I ngā pō o Haratua, ka ngaro a Matariki i te tirohanga kanohi. Tāria te wā, ka mahuta ake te kāhui whetū o Matariki i te atapō.

E ai ki te maramataka, ko te aranga mai o Matariki te tohu o te tau hou. Ki ētehi iwi o Te Tai Hau-ā-uru, o Te Waipounamu ko Puanga kē te whetū tohu i te tau hou.
Ka puta...
Expand te reo Māori text

He tau hou

Ka hau ake a Matariki, a Puanga ka hui te whānau, ka tere atu ngā mahara ki te tau kua hipa, ka whiua he hākari, ā, ka titiro whakamua ki te tau e tū mai nei.

He iwi mātai whetū ngā tūpuna. I ngā pō o Haratua, ka ngaro a Matariki i te tirohanga kanohi. Tāria te wā, ka mahuta ake te kāhui whetū o Matariki i te atapō.

E ai ki te maramataka, ko te aranga mai o Matariki te tohu o te tau hou. Ki ētehi iwi o Te Tai Hau-ā-uru, o Te Waipounamu ko Puanga kē te whetū tohu i te tau hou.
Ka puta Matariki ka rere Whānui.
Ko te tohu tēnā o te tau e!

Tērā ētehi whakamārama e rua mō Matariki: ko ngā mata ariki ko ngā mata riki rānei.

Ehara i te mea he rite tonu te wā e ara ake ai te kāhui o Matariki i te tau. Ki tā ētehi iwi, ka kitea tuatahitia tōna mahutatanga ake i te atapō, koia te tau hou Māori. Ki tā ētehi atu iwi, kia kōwhiti, kia hua rānei te marama i muri mai i te aranga o te kāhui whetū koia kē te tīmatanga o te tau hou.

Te Whakanui i a Matariki

Ka kapokapo mai te kāhui whetū o Matariki i te atatū, he tohu whakatairanga mā te tangata, kauheke mai, tamariki mai. Puta noa i Aotearoa, ka whakamine mai te tangata ka hoki mahara atu ki te iwi nui kei te pō, ka kai tahi, ka waiata, ka kōrero tahi anō hoki.

I ahatia ngā tūpuna i te wā o Matariki?

Ka ara ake te kāhui whetū o Matariki i te wā o te makariri, i te takiwā o te takanga o te rā (te rā poto rawa o te tau). Ā, ka roa ngā rā, ka toro atu ki te wā o te Kōanga, ki te Raumati rā anō. I te wā i a rātou mā, pēnei i ēnei rā, he kaupapa a Matariki hei kawe i ngā tūmanako o te whānau - he tohu nō te whakarauora, nō te whakaohooho, nō te tau hou e tū mai nei.
Māoka ko te hunu
Ka kitea a Matariki, kua mutu noa te hauhake māra, te kōtutu manu, te pāwhara ika me ērā mahi kai a te iwi. Kua kī ngā pātaka i te kai, kua mutu ngā mahi i te māra, ā, kua wātea te whānau ki te noho ngātahi, ki ngā mahi a te whare wānanga, a te whare tapere hoki.
Ngā kai a Matariki, nāna i ao ake ki runga
Ka mātaihia te kāhui whetū o Matariki ki te kimi i ōna tohu. Mehemea he mārama te kite i ngā whetū e pīrakorako mai ana, he mahana te tau e tū mai nei, he nui ngā hua ka puta i ngā māra kai. Mehemea e rehurehu ana te āhua o ngā whetū, he makariri te tau, he iti te kai.
Te kāinga
Ka piri te whānau ki te takuahi i ngā pō roa o te Hōtoke, ka kōrero mō te tau kua hipa, ka titiro whakamua ki te tau e tū mai nei. He wānanga, he kōrero tuku iho, he kōrero pūrākau te mahi.
Te whare tapere
Koia te whare whakangahau o te iwi. Ōna taonga ko te kōrero, ko te haka, ko te waiata, ko te taonga puoro, ko te karetao, ko ngā taonga a Wharawhara, ā, ko ngā tākaro anō hoki. E pēnei ana te kaupapa nui o te whare tapere:

Kia kawea tātou e te rēhia

Nā, ko te whare tapere tētahi o ngā whakahaere nui a te iwi i muri mai i te hautanga a Matariki.
Kua takitahi ngā whetū o Matariki
Ko Matariki te wā e mahara atu ai te whānau ki te hunga kua whetūrangitia i te tau kua hipa. Mō te roanga atu o te tau, e ihu oneone ana te whānau katoa, engari anō a Matariki, he wā whakatā.

Close te reo Māori text

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The difference between Puanga and Matariki

The difference between Puanga and Matariki

Some iwi celebrate Puanga rather than Matariki. Che Wilson of Whanganui iwi explains why this is the case, and which iwi celebrate Puanga.

Matariki star facts

Matariki star facts

Get the facts about Matariki - a star cluster known worldwide and treasured in Aotearoa New Zealand.

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Skip to main content Matariki signals the Māori New Year. It is a time of renewal and celebration in New Zealand that begins with the rising of the Matariki star cluster (the Pleiades or Seven Sisters). Matariki is a star cluster which appears in the night sky during mid-winter.

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Tom Migounoff

1. Matariki is a star cluster known as Pleiades, seven sister, Matariki or eyes of god.

2. Matariki literally translates to “Eyes of god” or “little eyes”

3. The names of the stars in English or Latin what ever you want to say are: Alcyone, Atlas, Electra, Taygeta, Pleione, Merope, Maia.  The names in Māori are: Tupu-ā-nuku, Tupu-ā-rangi, Waipunarangi, Waitī, Waitā, and Ururangi. Two other stars that have been identified are Pohutukawa and Hiwa i te rangi.

4. Skipped

5. Begging to the end of June. (At night obviously)

6.Matariki represent the Maori new year, so this means that the Maori calendar starts again on Matariki.

7. Matariki is a time to gather with family and friends to reflect on the past, celebrate the present, and plan for the future.

8. Skipped.

9. My evidence

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Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, Wellington, NZ

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Skip to main content

Matariki is a time to gather with family and friends to reflect on the past, celebrate the present, and plan for the future.

Here you can learn all about the Māori New Year, the Maramataka, and traditional Māori culture.

What is Matariki?

What is Matariki?

Matariki signals the Māori New Year. It is a time of renewal and celebration in New Zealand that begins with the rising of the Matariki star cluster (the Pleiades or Seven Sisters).

Matariki for teachers

Matariki for teachers

Book a Matariki education visit for your ECE or primary students, and download Matariki and Maramataka teaching resources to use in your classroom.

Matariki - Whare Tapere

Matariki - Whare Tapere

Download a free Matariki kids' activity book, read and listen to stories, explore Matariki facts, sing songs, and play quizzes in the Whare Tapere - the Māori house of entertainment.

The Maramataka

The Maramataka

The Māori calendar begins in June with the reappearance of the Matariki star cluster signalling the New Year. Learn the names of the months and nights in the traditional Maramataka.

Past Matariki Festival highlights

Past Matariki Festival highlights

Our first Matariki Ritual, the ever popular Kaumātua Kapa Haka, and panel discussions.

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Skip to main content Matariki is a time to gather with family and friends to reflect on the past, celebrate the present, and plan for the future. Here you can learn all about the Māori New Year, the Maramataka, and traditional Māori culture. What is Matariki? What is Matariki?

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1. Matariki is a star cluster, this is the same one that Pleiades found

2. Matariki translates to “eyes of god” or “little eyes”

3. Tapu-a-Nuku, Waipunarangi, waiti, tutu-a-rangi, Ururangi, Pohutukawa and Hiwa I the rangi

5.each star represents tawhirimatea

7. This is traditionally celebrated with whanau (family).

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1.Matariki is the Māori name for the small cluster of stars also known as the Pleiades or the Seven Sisters
2.Matariki literally means the 'eyes of god
3. Skipped
4.Skipped
5.This happens at the same time every year, however the Matariki festival isanytime from the beginning to the end of June.
6. Matariki for Māori Means the New Year
7Cook with traditional Māori vegetables. Acknowledge the value of healthy kai as a taonga for achieving wellbeing.
8. Skipped

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Matariki is a time for growth and change. It's a time to pause and reflect on the year behind us and the year ahead. It's a time for people to take a look at their lifestyles and health, and make some changes for the better.

Matariki is the Māori name for a star constellation that rises up into the sky in mid-winter. This signals an important time in the New Zealand calendar - the Māori New Year. Matariki is a celebration of people, culture, language, spirituality and history.

Here are five things you can do over the next month to help improve your health and wellbeing while enjoying the Matariki festivities.
1. Cook with traditional Māori vegetables
Acknowledge the value of healthy kai as a taonga for achieving wellbeing. Traditional vegetables include Kūmara, Taewa (Māori potatoes), Kamo Kamo, Taro, Puha (similar to cabbage) and Uwhi (yam). These vegetables can be used in combination with other ingredients to make delicious and healthy meals for whānau and friends.
2. Explore the outdoors
Matariki was a time to learn about the natural world. Today, one way we can embrace this tradition is by creating an edible garden. Growing your own veges, fruit or herbs is simple and satisfying. It's a fun way to keep active, eat well and learn about seasonality. You may be able to offer some helping hands at a community garden in your area.
3. Spend time with kids in the kitchen
It is important for children to learn the skill of cooking. During Matariki, tribal traditions and teachings were traditionally passed from one generation to the next. Now is a great time to get together with children and teach them to prepare recipes that have been passed down as favourites in your family.
4. Set exercise goals
Along with eating well, physical activity is essential for maintaining a healthy lifestyle. It increases your quality of life and your sense of wellbeing. Embrace the theme of new beginnings - take time to set exercise goals and develop a plan to achieve them.
5. Get involved
People gathered together during Matariki to survive the winter months. There are many exciting events that take place throughout the Matariki Festival such as kite making, storytelling, dance performances, arts and crafts. Keep an eye out for events in your community and enjoy spending time with your whānau and friends.

Keen to learn more about healthy eating? The Heart Foundation's Healthy Heart visual food guide is available free in a variety of languages, including Te Reo Māori.

For more information, visit the Matariki Festival website.

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How can you celebrate Matariki with your family?

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Matariki is a time for growth and change. It's a time to pause and reflect on the year behind us and the year ahead. It's a time for people to take a look at their lifestyles and health, and make some changes for the better.

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Matariki is a star cluster
Matariki means eyes of god or little eyes
It goes from the beginning to the end of june
Matariki is the Māori name for Pleiades
Matariki was celebrated by gathering with whanau (family) and reflecting on the past.

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mother (Matariki) and her six daughters – Tupu-ā-nuku, Tupu-ā-rangi, Waipunarangi, Waitī, Waitā, and Ururangi. Two other stars that have been identified are Pohutukawa and Hiwa i te rangi.

Matariki is a star cluster

It represents Māori new year

It is a begging or end of June

Matariki means eyes of god

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Eddie Anderson

What is Matariki?

Matariki in Māori is the name of the Pleiades star cluster.

What does Matariki mean?

The eye of god or little eyes. Or 7 sisters and used for navigation or travelling.

What are the names for each star?

What does each star represent?

Martariki  the eyes of tāwhirimātea

Tutu-ā-Rangi she tohunga

Waitī sweet water

Waipuna-ā-Rangi sky spring

Tutu-ā-Nuku earth tohunga

Ururangi entry to the heavens

Waitā sprinkle of water.

When does Matariki appear?

Matariki appears in early winter at the rising of late may and early June.

What does Matariki represent for Māori?

skip

How and Who can we celebrate Matariki?

Skip

How can we find Matariki?

Martariki can be found on the on horizon  between 5 am 6 am in June

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Matariki

Observed by
New Zealanders

Type

Cultural

Significance

Heliacal rising of the Pleiades star cluster ( Māori: Matariki), signalling the Māori new year.

Date

June to July (varies)

2022 date

24 June

2023 date

14 July

Frequency

Annual

In Māori culture, Matariki is both the name of the Pleiades star cluster and of the celebration of its first rising in late June or early July. This marked the beginning of the new year in the Māori lunar calendar. Matariki was made an official public holiday in New Zealand in April 2022, with the first celebration on 24 June of that year.

Historically Matariki was usually celebrated during the last quarter of the moon of the lunar month Pipiri (around June); the ceremony involved viewing the individual stars for forecasts of the year to come, mourning the deceased of the past year, and making an offering of food to replenish the stars.

After the celebration of Matariki declined during the 20th century, it underwent a revival in the early 1990s.

Matariki is the Māori name for the cluster of stars known to Western astronomers as the Pleiades in the constellation Taurus. Matariki is a shortened version of Ngā mata o te ariki o Tāwhirimātea, or "the eyes of the god Tāwhirimātea". According to Māori mythology, Tāwhirimātea, god of wind and weather, was enraged by the separation of heaven and earth - his parents, Ranginui and Papatūānuku. Defeated in battle by his brother, Tāwhirimātea fled to the sky to live with Ranginui, but in his anger he first plucked out his eyes as a gesture of contempt towards his siblings, and flung them into the sky, where they remain, stuck to his father's chest. In Māori tradition the unpredictability of the winds are blamed on Tāwhitimātea's blindness.

Matariki is sometimes incorrectly translated as mata riki, "little eyes", a mistake originating in Elsdon Best and continued by others.

The word Matariki is the name of both the star cluster and one of the stars within it: other terms for the cluster as a whole include Te Tautari-nui-o-Matariki (Matariki fixed in the heavens) and Te Huihui o Matariki (the assembly of Matariki).

The word matariki or similar, referring to the Pleiades, is found in many Polynesian languages. In the Marquesas the star cluster is known as Matai'i or Mata'iki, in the Cooks as Matariki, and in the Tuamotu archipelago as Mata-ariki. In some languages it has Best's meaning of "little eyes", but in most it is a contraction of mata-ariki, meaning "eyes of the god" or "eyes of the chief". In Hawai'i, the rising of Makali'i in November ushers in the four-month season Makahiki, which honours Lono, the god of agriculture and fertility. In Tonga, as in Hawai'i, the year is divided into two seasons, which are named according to whether the Pleiades are visible after sunset: Matali'i i nia (Matali'i above) and Matali'i i raro (Matali'i below). On Rapa Nui, Matariki heralded the New Year, and its disappearance in mid-April ended the fishing season.

To the ancient Greeks, the Pleiades contained nine stars: the parents Atlas and Pleione, positioned to one side of the cluster, and their seven daughters Alcyone, Maia, Taygeta, Electra, Merope, Celaeno and Sterope.

Many Māori sources, especially older ones, list seven stars in Matariki: Matariki herself, the central star in the cluster (the kai whakahaere or 'conductor'), and six children. The emblem of the Kingitanga or Māori King movement, Te Paki o Matariki, includes the star Matariki flanked by three stars on each side. The six other stars are sometimes named as Matariki's daughters; it has been suggested that the idea of Matariki as a group of seven female stars was influenced by the concept of the Pleiades' "seven sisters".

The manuscript of Rāwiri Te Kōkau passed on to Rangi Matamua recognised nine stars in Matariki, adding Pōhutukawa and Hiwa-i-te-Rangi (also known just as Hiwa) to make a total of eight children, five of which were female and three male. The father of Matariki's children was Rehua, paramount chief of the heavens, identified by Māori as the star Antares.

The stars of Matariki and their genders as recorded by Te Kōkau are identified with particular traits and areas of influence, also reflected in their positions in the star cluster:

The star Pōhutukawa's association with the departed relates to the lone pōhutukawa tree at Te Rerenga Wairua ( Cape Reinga), the departing place for the spirits of the deceased as they return to the ancestral homeland of Hawaiki. Mourning the deceased is one component of the Matariki celebration.

Hiwa-i-te-rangi, also known just as Hiwa, is the youngest of Matariki's children and was considered the "wishing star": Māori would rest their hopes and desires on Hiwa, similar to "wishing upon a star", and if it appeared to shine bright and clear on the first viewing of Matariki those individual and collective wishes were likely to be answered.

Māori New Year

Traditional Māori culture was interwoven with astronomical knowledge, with constellations and the lunar cycle used for navigation, planting and harvesting, delineating the seasons, and marking the spawning and migration of fish. This knowledge was passed down by oral tradition, and different regions and iwi recorded different dates, significant constellations, and traditional calendars or maramataka.

The Pleiades are visible for most of the year in New Zealand, except for about a month in the middle of winter. Matariki finally sets in the west in the early evening in May, and reappears just prior to sunrise in late June or early July, which begins the first month of the Māori lunar calendar, Pipiri (meaning to huddle together). All the months of the Māori calendar are indicated by this heliacal rising of a particular star on the eastern horizon just before dawn, on the night of the new moon: for example, the tenth month, Poutūterangi, is signalled by the heliacal rising of Altair. Matariki's role in signalling the start of the year means it is known as te whetū o te tau ("the star of the year").

The time in midsummer when Matariki is overhead in the night sky is referred to as te paki o Matariki, the calm weather of summer - a phrase meaning good weather and good fortune. The Tainui canoe was instructed to leave the homeland of Hawaiki for Aotearoa in summer, when Matariki was overhead. The second Māori king, Matutaera Tāwhiao, chose Matariki as an emblem because of its associations with peace and calm, and the Kīngitanga newspaper was named Te Paki o Matariki.

Most celebration of Matariki begins in the last quarter phase of the moon after the constellation's first appearance, during 3-4 nights known as "the nights of Tangaroa" ( ngā po o Tangaroa), and finishes on the night before the new moon. The new moon, or whiro, is considered inauspicious in the Māori calendar, so would spoil any celebrations. Because Maōri traditionally use a 354-day lunar calendar with 29.5 days to the month, rather than the 356-day Gregorian solar calendar, the dates of Matariki vary each year. Māori did not use a single unified lunar calendar: different iwi might recognise different numbers of months, give them different names, or start the month on the full moon rather than the new moon.

There has also always been regional variation across Aotearoa in which stars signal the start of the New Year, and what date is chosen to celebrate it. Some iwi - those in the far north, the western North Island around Taranaki, the Chatham Islands, and much of the South Island - use the rising of the brighter star Rigel ( Puanga in northern Māori, Puaka in southern Māori) as the marker of the New Year, instead of Matariki. This is sometimes attributed to Puanga being more visible or visible earlier than Matariki, but, as Rangi Matamua puts it, "the variation in the rising between Matariki and Puanga is very small, and if the Tangaroa nights of Piripi are observed correctly, then both stars will be seen in the morning sky." It has been suggested that that tradition of Puaka belonged to the first Polynesian settlers to arrive in Aotearoa, and Matariki was brought by a second wave of arrivals, who also brought the first kūmara (with which Matariki is associated).

Traditionally, the stars Puanga and Matariki were rivals, with Puanga beautifying herself every winter, attempting to be the star beside which the sun rises and signals the New Year, but being eternally frustrated when each year the sun rose beside Matariki.

Other iwi use Atutahi ( Canopus) rather than Puanga, or the setting of Rehua ( Antares) in winter, to mark the New Year.

Matariki was an occasion to mourn the deceased, celebrate the present, and prepare the ground for the coming year. The ceremony had three parts: viewing the stars, remembering the deceased, and making an offering of food to the stars. This time of the year was also a good time to instruct young people in the lore of the land and the forest. In addition, certain birds and fish were associated with Matariki: to Tūhoe it marked the beginning of the season where kererū or native pigeon could be captured, cooked, and preserved in its own fat, and the rise of Matariki corresponded with the return of korokoro (lampreys) from the sea to spawn in rivers.

Because of the frequent poor weather in winter, the viewing of Matariki was spread across the three or four nights of Tangaroa to increase the chance that the stars would be clearly seen. The first clear night marked the beginning of festivities. When Matariki reappeared, Māori would look to its stars for a forecast of the coming season's prosperity: if they shone clear and bright, the remaining winter would be warm, but hazy or twinkling stars predicted bad weather in the season ahead. The colour, brightness, and distinctiveness of each star in Matariki would be assessed, and forecasts made according to each of their associations: for example, if Tupu-ā-rangi did not shine clearly then hunters would expect a poor catch of birds in the coming season. Pōhutukawa was linked to the deceased, so its brightness would signal how many people were likely to pass away in the coming year. These predictions were made by tohunga kōkōrangi, learned elders who had studied and debated for many years in a whare kōkōrangi (house of astronomical learning).

After the forecasts for the year had been read from the stars, the deceased were invoked with tears and song in a ceremony called te taki mōteatea (the reciting of laments). The names of everyone who had died since Matariki's last rising were recited. Traditionally, Māori believed that the spirits of the dead were collected during the year and at the setting of Matariki in the month of Hautara they were led into the afterlife. On the rising of Matariki at the start of the year, the deceased of the past year were carried up from the underworld and cast up into the night sky to become stars, accompanied by prayers and the recitation of their names. Beginning the mourning for the previous year's departed at Matariki is still reflected in modern Māori mourning practices.

An important part of the celebration was whāngai i te hautapu, a ceremonial offering of food to the stars. The reasoning was that Matariki, after shepherding the spirits of the dead up from the underworld and turning the sun back from the winter solstice, would be weak and in need of sustenance. A small hāngi or earth oven was built, with heated stones in a pit on which was placed food, a layer of leaves, and earth. The uncovering of the cooked food released steam which rose into the sky and fed the stars, the steam being the hautapu or sacred offering. The food was chosen to correspond with the domains of the stars in Matariki: these might include kūmara for Tupuānuku, a bird for Tupuārangi, freshwater fish for Waitī, and shellfish for Waitā. The offering of food was the final part of the ceremony, which ended at sunrise.

The Matariki ceremony was followed by days of festivities - song, dance, and feasting - known as te mātahi o te tau ("the first fruits of the year"), celebrating prosperity, life, and the promise of the year to come.

With the colonisation of New Zealand by Pākehā settlers in the 19th century, many traditional Māori practices began to decline. Some aspects of Matariki were incorporated into new religious traditions such as the Ringatū church, but its traditional celebration had almost ceased by the early 20th century. The last of the traditional Matariki celebrations were recorded in the 1940s. Dansey records the ceremony being still practised in the 1880s or 1890s, and gives an account of one elderly New Plymouth woman carrying on the custom on her own until her death in 1941.

The revival of the celebration of Matariki can be traced to the early 1990s, sparked by various Māori iwi and organisations such at the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa. Te Rangi Huata of Ngāti Kahungunu began in 2000 an annual Matariki celebration in Hastings, which attracted 500 people, which reached 15,000 in 2001. In 2001, the Māori Language Commission began a move to "reclaim Matariki, or Aotearoa Pacific New Year, as an important focus for Māori language regeneration". In 2016 Te Wānanga o Aotearoa promoted a new vision of Matariki in a month-long roadshow called "Te Iwa o Matariki" ( iwa being Māori for "nine"), stressing the nine stars recognised by some iwi.

Since then it has increasingly become common practice for people - Māori and non-Māori - and institutions such as schools, libraries, and city councils to celebrate Matariki in a range of ways. These have included concerts, festivals of lights, the illumination of Auckland's Sky Tower, and tree planting. In 2017 Wellington City Council announced they would cancel the Sky Show fireworks held on Guy Fawkes Night for 22 years, and move them to a Matariki cultural festival from July 2018.

The celebrations have taken place over the period of a week or month, anywhere from early June to late August, but increasingly coincide with the winter solstice or the traditional dates of Matariki.

A proposal to make Matariki an official public holiday in New Zealand was made by former Māori Party MP Rahui Katene's member's bill Te Ra o Matariki Bill/Matariki Day Bill, drawn from the ballot in June 2009. The Bill would have fixed the date of a public holiday using the new moon in June; this was later changed to the new moon of the heliacal rising of Matariki when the bill was drawn a month later and set down for introduction into Parliament. Mayor of Waitakere City Bob Harvey supported the call to make Matariki a public holiday to replace Queen's Birthday, along with the Republican Movement of Aotearoa New Zealand, which found none of New Zealand's local authorities held celebrations for Queen's Birthday but many celebrated Matariki. However, the Bill itself did not propose abolishing Queen's Birthday, and was voted down at its first reading.

As part of the National- Māori Party agreement subsequent to the 2011 New Zealand general election, both parties agreed to support a "cultural heritage bill to recognise Matariki/Puanga, and to honour the peace-making heritage established at Parihaka."

On 7 September 2020, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern pledged to make Matariki a public holiday if the Labour Party were re-elected in the 2020 general election. The proposed public holiday would not be implemented until 2022, during which businesses could recover from the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic in New Zealand. On 4 February 2021, Ardern announced the first date for the public holiday as 24 June 2022. Legislation to give this legal effect would be introduced during the 2021 parliamentary session.

On 2 July 2021, the day the constellation rose, Ardern announced the proposed dates for the next 30 years, determined by a Matariki Advisory Group drawn from iwi across the country. The date of the holiday was formalised, as the Friday closest to the 4 days of the nights of Tangaroa in the lunar month Piripi. The dates varied from late June to mid July, but were always on a Friday, to encourage people to travel and spend time with their families, and to give an extra public holiday to people who usually miss out on Mondayised public holidays (e.g. those who normally work Tuesday to Saturday). The date of Matariki varies so much because the 354-day Māori lunar calendar (with occasional intercalary months) only approximates the 365.25 day solar Gregorian solar calendar; Jewish holidays and Christian moveable feasts vary in Gregorian solar date from year to year for the same reason.

On 30 September, Associate Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Kiri Allan introduced the Te Kāhui o Matariki Public Holiday Bill to make Matariki a public holiday. The bill passed its first reading supported by the Labour, Green and Māori parties, but opposed by National and ACT. The bill received its third reading, and passed into law, on 7 April 2022.

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Matariki Observed by New Zealanders Type Cultural Significance Heliacal rising of the Pleiades star cluster ( Māori: Matariki), signalling the Māori new year. Date June to July (varies) 2022 date 24 June 2023 date 14 July Frequency Annual In Māori culture, Matariki is both the name of the Pleiades star cluster and of the celebration of its first rising in late June or early July.

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1. Matariki is a star cluster also known as the Pleiades https://teara.govt.nz/en/matariki-maori-new-year

2. Matariki means “eyes of god” https://teara.govt.nz/en/matariki-maori-new-year

3. Tupu-ā-nuku, Tupu-ā-rangi, Waipunarangi, Waitī, Waitā, and Ururangi https://www.sciencelearn.org.nz/resources/2322-the-matariki-star-cluster

4. Skipped

5. Mid-winter https://media.newzealand.com/en/story-ideas/matariki-rising-–-new-zealands-mid-winter-festiva/

6. Matariki is important because it also is the time to restart the Maori calendar.    https://www.matarikifestival.org.nz/about-matariki/

7. Skipped

8. 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. Look to the left through the bottom of the stars .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. https://www.kiwikidsnews.co.nz/how-do-i-find-matariki/

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1.matariki is the Maori new year
2. It means eyes of god
3. The Maori new year
4
5
6.matariki is a celebration and a historical event
7. Anyone can celebrate and this is usually done with a feast
8. By looking in the north east sky and look at 5:30-6:30

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Use your research to assist you but the finished product should be your own work. Be creative. Submit your work below. Good luck. Due Thursday, April 9.

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As evening nears
the sisters rise
From the cold, damp air
Exhausting the world of warmth

Matariki appears
The glowing stars
Like crystals of fire,
shining in the night

The eyes of god
silently watching us
from their point in space.

A symbol of remembrance
Iwi gather in unity
in memory of loved ones

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As the travellers who cross the bushes of Aotearoa can look across the star filled horizon on and cold winters night,
and see matariki and find there way home.
There anseters watching over them and guiding them to to their tribe,
The little eyes of god, the 7 sisters of Aotearoa.
When they arrive they will celebrate
The after life the gods of the Māori.
The little eyes that watch over Aotearoa.

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Poem:
Stars
Golden dots
Delicate little lights
As bright as the sun
A cluster of shooting stars
Scattered across the deep space
Shimmering and glimmering
The seven sisters
Matariki stars.

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The seven sister’s eyes
The eyes of god
They look down form the sky above
People singing
Animals dancing
A new year soon will start

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Shining lights
Shine so bright
Seven sisters ascend
Into the night sky
Matariki, kites fly by
Family’s celebrate under the night sky.

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as Night falls the sky breaks and the little eyes shine the sky the barrier and behind heaven.

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Night has come.
The stars appear.
Meaning behind them - zero fear.
Some say they're the eyes of God.
Representing peace for Maori culture.
A new year on the horizon.
Found only in June.
Just upon the moon.

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Poem:
As the sun dies,
7 sisters rise.
Matariki, Matariki
Oh so wise.
A cluster of stars,
Celebrated with guitars.

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Up in the sky,all through the night.

The stars of matariki will appear with might.

bright as the sun and as delicate as glass.

They shine through the night,

Disappear at day.

The seven sisters of matariki,

Glistening in the deep blue sky.

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The seven sisters,
Stars so bright. Like precious diamonds in the night A time of love with celebration and fun. The sun will go down with stars to come,The māori new year
Of Matariki

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The white lights
Up very high
Sparkling and glittering in the sky
I sign seen by many
As a display of little lights
This marks the Maori new year
This is Matariki

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The seven sisters
In the stars
As bright as the sky
O wait they are the sky
Only once a year to celebrate new year

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Tom Migounoff’s poem

Matariki,
Sitting there in heaven,
The eyes of god,
The sisters seven.

In the night sky,
Like diamonds shining bright,
Up there the size of a fly
They lie in the illuminated night sky.

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In times of old,
for guidance great
The Maori people looked up,
For whilst on the ground and on their feet
Matariki the stars
In the skies they would greet,
And tell the tribes of north and south
When to plant their crops that would grow tall
And satisfy the needs of all

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The time of breathing into clasped hands

hovering over a lighter to make a flame

not knowing

that an angry man threw his eyes into the night

the belly of his shattered father

weeping rain for separation of earth and sky

harvesting bitter grudges

from minds like hardened soil

packing up the wounds with mud and whiskey

and opening doors to wait

for those curious to know

how sky maps granted our existence

how the weight of earth

pushed against tongues of oars

and our tīpuna pushed back

and won.

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Matariki is Like a cluster of light bulbs in a dark room
They shine in the night as a beacon of hope for those who are lost
Known also as little eyes or eyes of god
Sit in space watching us with their delicate eyes

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as evening approaches

the sun radiates a dim light

blurred in ablaze, settling down

behind the horizon, exhausting the

world of warmth

the wind blows in harsh spite

the air is damp and cold

but a bonfire sits, crackling

with essence, shedding

billows of warmth

moaning slightly,

the children head off to bed

eager for sunrise to arrive.

holding kai and offerings

in hand, family and friends

circle the fire, chanting hymns

to welcome back Matariki.

The season of its first rising.

Their soothing voices reverberating

in the darkness, accompanying

the crooning waves

Scintillating in the winter sky

Matariki appears, the eyes of god

marking the dawn of Maori New Year.

Iwi gather in unity and

remembrance of loved ones.

Singing in unison and rejoice.

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Kia ora tama ma. Below is a current status report of your Term 1 online due assignments.

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Kia ora tama ma. Below is a current status report of your Term 1 online due assignments.

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Tēnā koutou tama mā

This Term we will be looking deeper into the Māori New Year, Matariki. As Matariki draws nearer to appear in the early morning sky before the sun rises to mark the beginning of the Māori New Year, you will be learning karakia, waiata and a few other things to add to your kete matauranga (knowledge basket) so that you can share with your whanau.

IT IS IMPORTANT THAT YOU KEEP EVERYTHING YOU DO FOR MĀORI STUDIES IN A CENTRAL PLACE SO THAT YOU ARE ABLE TO USE THIS FOR YOUR FINAL PRESENTATION.

This lesson you will need to learn of by heart to recite the karakia attached, without reading it. The words and an audio clip has been attached below for you to help you learn it.

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Kia ora tama mā

Although it would be easy to find a Google Translate of what the karakia means in English, I am not asking for what Google or the internet translates the karakia to, instead you are going to translate the following words that are mentioned in the karakia and come up with your own meaning or/and understanding of what the karakia is implying. Use www.maoridictionary.co.nz to find translations for individual words only.

Translate these words:

- te = the (singular)

- ngā = the (plural)

- Tipua

- Tawhito

- Wairua

- ira

- mai

- Atua

- Tāngata

- Tihei Mauri Ora!

Attach your meaning of the karakia to this post. Your meaning can be a paragraph or 2 long to express your thoughts and ideas.

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Tēnā koutou, tama mā

This lesson you will learn some of the names of the stars that make up Matariki through song. The tune is a popular one and the words will come just as easy after a while because majority of you will know the tune if you know songs like 'Twinkle, twinkle little star' and the English 'Alphabet song'

Have a go. Have fun with it. Teach it to members of your whanau in your bubble.

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Open up a PDF document on your device, name it using the following template;

First-name.Last-name.Class.Matariki Research (Rihari.Wilson.9GIL.Matariki Research)

Complete your research and submit your PDF work at the end of the lesson or complete it for prep if you do not finish it this lesson. You may have researched similar questions last Term, this is to consolidate what you have learnt.

Research Questions

-       Is Matariki a star constellation or a star cluster and what is it reffered to in Greek/Roman?

-       There are more than seven stars that make up Matariki. What are their Māori names?

-       When is the best time to see Matariki with the naked eye?

-       Where is Matariki situated in the sky? North, South, East or West? Can you be more specific?

-       Is Matariki visible in the NZ sky all year round?

-       What does ‘Matariki’ or the ‘Māori New Year’ mean to Māori, how is it celebrated differently to other cultures, nationalities and/or ethnicities?

-       There are many stories about Matariki. Find 2 using the internet and write a paragraph or 2 summarising each of them.
Due Tues. June 2

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Look up at the sky
What do you see?
I see the seven stars
of Matariki

Their Matariki sing
But you may not hear
They are singing of the sun
And the Māori new year

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There are many stories that come and go

And also tales of friend and foe

The separation of the parents

Created havoc within the tenants

The rage and anger engulfed Tawhirimatea

His friends tried to save him like de Gea

But it was not enough to unprovoke him

He then grabbed his eyes and up into the skies he threw them

Shining in the skies so light

Tawhirimatea’s eyes shine, so bright

Leading the way for the Maori new year

The presence of light calls for cheers

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1. Matariki is the name of a star cluster called Pleadies. It is towards the northwest of the constellation ‘Taurus’. It also signals the Maori new year.
2. Matariki means ‘the eyes of God’.
3. The names of the stars that make up the Matariki constellation are Waitī, Waitā, Waipuna-ā-Rangi, Tupu-ā-Nuku, Tupu-ā-rangi and Ururangi.
4. Skipped
5. It is able to be seen best around the month of June.
6. To Maori, Matariki signals the start of the Maori new year. It is a new start and a time of joy and happiness. Food is plentiful around this time and children play games and fly kites called pākau.

Here is where I got my info:

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Traditionally, Māori were keen observers of the night sky, determining from the stars the time and seasons, and using them to navigate the oceans. Lookouts would watch for the rise of Matariki just before dawn. For Māori, this time signified remembrance, fertility and celebration.

Remembrance

Haere atu rā e koro ki te paepae o Matariki, o Rehua. Haere atu rā.

Farewell old man, go to the threshold of Matariki, of Rehua. Farewell.

In times of old, the sighting of Matariki was greeted with expressions of grief for those who had died since its last appearance. Some said the stars housed the souls of those departed. Rangihuna Pire, in his 70s, remembered how as a child he was taken by his grandparents to watch for Matariki in mid-winter at Kaūpokonui, South Taranaki:

The old people might wait up several nights before the stars rose. They would make a small hāngī. When they saw the stars, they would weep and tell Matariki the names of those who had gone since the stars set, then the oven would be uncovered so the scent of the food would rise and strengthen the stars, for they were weak and cold.

Planting crops

Matariki atua ka eke mai i te rangi e roa,
E whāngainga iho ki te mata o te tau e roa e.

Divine Matariki come forth from the far-off heaven,
Bestow the first fruits of the year upon us.

The coming season's crops were planted according to the portents read in the Matariki star cluster. If the stars were clear and bright, it was a sign that a favourable and productive season lay ahead, and planting would begin in September. If the stars appeared hazy and closely bunched together, a cold winter was in store and planting was put off until October.

Sayings

Matariki has given rise to a number of sayings. 'Matariki kāinga kore' (homeless Matariki) refers to the star cluster's constant travel - disappearing from the sky only once a year, when it pauses to rest in May when the moon wanes. The association of Matariki with crops has given rise to the saying: 'Matariki ahunga nui' (Matariki provider of plentiful food). Because it appears in the season when game had been caught and preserved, there is the saying: 'Ka kitea a Matariki, kua maoka te hinu' (When Matariki is seen, then game is preserved).

Harvest

Ngā kai a Matariki, nāna i ao ake ki runga.

The foods of Matariki, by her scooped up.

Matariki happened at the end of harvesting, when food stores were plentiful. The variety of food which had been gathered and preserved ensured an abundant supply for feasting - Matariki was an important time for festivity. Women rejoiced, sang and danced to celebrate the change of season and new beginnings. Often kites (pākau) were flown - they were thought to get close to the stars.

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Traditionally, Māori were keen observers of the night sky, determining from the stars the time and seasons, and using them to navigate the oceans. Lookouts would watch for the rise of Matariki just before dawn. For Māori, this time signified remembrance, fertility and ...

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As the Sun lays to rest
And the sky goes dark
The seven sisters rise
Signalling a new start

A time for joy
Togetherness and love
To unite with your family
And reach into the past

So the kites fly high
Reaching for the stars
Before returning to the ground
Ready for the new year

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This task is due: Tue, May 12, 10.30am.

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Tau ke!

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Tau ke!

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Te - used when talking about a specific
NGA-to breathe
Tipua -abnormal, terrifying, strange
Tawhito- to be old, ancient, primeval, out of date
Wairua- a spirit not like a ghost but like the won that has gone to heaven.
Ira-genes, family blood
Mai-going way back, long standing, for ages
Atua-an ancestor with continuing influence with some special power or stregth.
Tangata-a person or to be a person
Tehei mauri ora-sneeze of life, call to claim the right to speak.

What I think the karakia means is that matariki is a scared and ancient spirt. It is abnormal and looks over the tribes. It shows how you are still present after death

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Te-used when referring to a particular individual or thing.
Ngā- to breath
Tipua- strange out of the normal like a myth or legend, it’s made up but is believed to be true
Tawhito- old and ancient like a ritual or a song, something that will be remembered
Wairua- the spirit that is alive even after death. Like heaven, your spirit is taken to heaven and can look down on others.
Ira-life principle, gene. It’s where you come from like your family and what you were put in the world for
Mai- long standing, very old like a legacy or a historic event that is remembered.
Atua- an ancestor that has influence like a god,
Tāngata- a person or to be a person

The karakia sounds very sacred and like an old story. It is talking deeply about all the spirits and the stars in matariki. And how after death you are still present in spirit.

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Tipua- Abnormal, terrifying, strange
Tawhito-  Ancient, old
Wairua-  soul, spirit. The wairua will leave a persons body when dead and is believed to travel to Hawaiki
ira- genes, family blood
mai- going way back, long standing, for ages
Atua- Ancestor with influence over what we do and/or often perceived as the Christian God
Tāngata- human, person,  to be a man
Tihei mauri ora!- sneeze of life

The karakia for me sounds as though it is talking about how ancient and almost sacred the Matariki stars are. How they are like the ancestors of the people, and that their sacredness resides with us after death.

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Te: used when talking about something specific

Ngā: to breath

Tipua: strange, supernatural, abnormal, terrifying.

Tawhito:  to be old, ancient, primeval, out of date

Wairua: A non physical spirit that exist after death

Ira: life, principal genes

Mai: an idiom to indicate a long length of time

Atua: an ancestor with continuing influence with some special power or strength

Tāngata: be a person, man, human being, individual.

Tihei Mauri Ora!: sneeze of life, call to claim the right to speak.

The karakia is the rules of Maori life
And that life lives on after death

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Te - used when talking about a specific thing

Ngā - to inhale/ breath

Tipua- supernatural, strange , abnormal.

Tawhito- ancient

Wiarua- a spirit not like a ghost but like the won that has gone to heaven.

Ira- family blood line , DNA and genes

Mai- long lasting, strong

Atua- an ancestor with long lasting influence

Tāngata- man, person, human

Tehei mauri Ora! - life sneeze

Karakia to me,
To me this matariki karakia is telling people to be happy about there ancestors having new life. It also means to me a time to celebrate the happy things, begin fortunate for what you have. It can also be a time to gift things to your family.

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Tigua- strange
Waitua- the soul of a dead person
Ira- family blood
Mai- going back
Atua- ancestors decide what the right thing thing to do is
Tāngata-human, to be a man
Tihei mauri ora- sneeze of life
The Karakia to me sounds like the mans is talking about how we and our are still “here” after death also how the
Stars are very special to Māori

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Tipua- Abnormal, terrifying, strange
Tawhito-  Ancient, old
Wairua-  soul, spirit. The wairua will leave a persons body when dead and is believed to travel to Hawaiki
ira- genes, family blood
mai- going way back, long standing, for ages
Atua- Ancestor with influence over what we do and/or often perceived as the Christian God
Tāngata- human, person,  to be a man
Tihei mauri ora!- sneeze of life

The karakia for me sounds as though it is talking about how ancient and almost sacred the Matariki stars are. How they are like the ancestors of the people, and that their sacredness resides with us after death.

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Tipua-strange,weird
Tawhito-old aincent
wairua- soul of a dead person
Ira-family and genes
Mai-back in time
Atua- an ancestor with lots of life
Tangata- a human being
Tehei Mauri Ora!- a shout of life or a  cough of life.

The karakia means to me that family is very important and that there is people watching over us to make us safe and people that die will have their soul go to the heavens.

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Tipua - Strange, Supernatural, Abnormal, Terrifying

Tawhito - Old, Ancient, Out dated

Wairua - Soul, Spirit, Alive after death

Atua - An ancestor that is influenced by God, Demon or supernautral being.

Tangata - Person, Man, Human being, Induvidual

Ora - Alive, Safe, Fit, Healthy, Recovered

What does Matariki mean to me?

To me, Matariki means that we are all still alive after death through the Matariki stars. I see Matariki as a spiritual time for Maori that can be special for everyone!

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Ngā- to breath
Tipua- strange out of the normal like a myth or legend, it’s made up but is believed to be true
Tawhito- old and ancient like a ritual or a song, something that will be remembered
Wairua- the spirit that is alive even after death. Like heaven, your spirit is taken to heaven and can look down on others.
Ira-life principle, gene

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Te- Something specific
Tipua-  Strange
Tawhito- Old/ancient
Tau-  To attack
Wairua- Spirit
Ngā- breath
Atua- ancestor
Ira- life principal
Tāngata- human
Tihei Mauri Ora!- Sneeze of life!

What does it mean for me?

To me it shows that my ancestors are always looking over me and that they’ll be with me even after death.

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A karakia for me is a spiruttal talk from one another we’re people can connect on a d’épier level

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- te = Reffering to a singular person or thing

- ngā =  to take a breath

- Tipua = Strange, supernatural

- Tawhito = Old, anceint

- Wairua = Spirit, Soul

- ira = Life principle

- mai = from way back

- Atua = Ancestor with continuing influence

- Tāngata = People, men

- Tihei Mauri Ora! = Sneeze of life

What Does The Karakia Mean To Me?

The karakia in my eyes/ for me is a talk spritually, Even after death.  It means that everyone is important and will be important for ever

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Te: used when talking about something specific
Ngā: to breathe
Tipua: strange, supernatural,
Tawhito:  to be old, ancient, primeval, out of date
Wairua: A non physical spirit that exist after death
Ira: life principal
Mai: an idiom to indicate a long length of time
Atua: an ancestor with continuing influence
Tāngata: be a person, human being, individual
Tihei Mauri Ora!: sneeze of life

Karakia means to me of something that resembles some kind of deity or god that looks down upon us.

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Tipua- demon or evil spirits.
Tawhito- Old and Ancient.
Wairua- Soul or spirit.
Ira- gene or dot.
Mai- way back ago,  ages ago, long standing.
Atua- Ancestor, god or demon
Tangata- human, man, individual.
Tihie mauri ora- The sneeze of life or the right to speak

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Te-used when referring to a particular individual or thing
ngā-to take breath, breathe
Tipua-strange, supernatural, abnormal, terrifying
Tawhito-to be old, ancient, primeval, out of date - not used for people in classical Māori
Wairua-spirit, soul
Ira-life principle, gene
Mai-for ages, from way back, long standing, it goes way back - an idiom to indicate a long length of time
Atua-ancestor with continuing influence, god, demon, supernatural being, deity, ghost, object of superstitious regard, strange being
Tangata-to be a person, man, human being, individual
Tihei mauri ora-sneeze of life, call to claim the right to speak

This prayer means that's it's about the past. Reuniting with family members. A time of love.

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Te-used when referring to a particular individual or thing.

Ngā- to breath.

Tipua- something strange or abnormal.

Tawhito- old and ancient like a ritual or a song, something that will be remembered.

Wairua- the spirit that is alive even after death. Like heaven, your spirit is taken to heaven and can look down on others.

Ira-life principle, It’s where you come from like your family and what you were put in the world for.

Mai- long standing, very old like a legacy or a historic event that is remembered.

Atua- an ancestor that has influence like a god.

Tāngata- a person or to be a person

I think this Karakia has a powerful meaning with like spirits and remembering those that we have lost, as these translations talk a lot about death but how the spirit is still alive and there even after someone has been lost.

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Te: a specific individual or thing
Ngā: breath
Tipua: strange, supernatural, abnormal etc...
Tawhito: to be old, Out of date
Wairua: spirit or soul.
Ira: life principle or gene
Mai: history, memory
Atau: god, demon supernatural being etc...
Tāngata: to be a person/individual
Tihei mouri ora: sneeze of life

The karakia feels to me like almost a supernatural song, or a song about the supernatural. I think it is a song for remembering. I think it is a song that almost praises matariki. It also might be about freedom to some extent.

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Te - a specific thing or person.

Ngā - to breath.

Tipua - a supernatural “demon” like a myth or legend.

Tawhito - old or ancient.

Wairua - spirit or soul being in touch with the spiritual side of life

Ira - family, gene.

Mai - history, legacy, memory

Atua - gods, power, strength.

Tāngata - a person being a person or human.

Tihei mauri ora - the sneeze of life.

The karakia means to me like my ancestors are watching over me. Their legacy and memory and history now live in me. They will watch over me from the sneeze of like to the very end.

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Te- a specific thing
Ngā- breath
Tipua- supernatural
Tawhito-ancient
Wairua-spirit
Ira- bloodline
Mai-memory
Atua-strength
Tāngata- person
Tihei Mauri Ora- sneeze of life

The Karakia is a festival of rememberance and acceptance to me.

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Eddie Anderson

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1. The matariki stars are a star cluster and not a star constellation. The Greek name for them was Pleiades
2. Waiti, Waita, Waipuna-ā-rangi, Tupu-ā-nuku, Tupu-ā-rangi, Ururangi, Matariki.
3. It is thought that early June in north-eastern sky before sunrise is the best time to see the
Matariki stars with the naked eye.
4. The stars are situated in the north-east on the horizon.
5. It is not visible year round just after the festivals of matariki.
6. For Maori, the matariki stars signal the start of the Maori new year and can be used to predict
whether that year’s harvests will be abundant. Maori celebrate at different times according to
full moons.
7. The matariki creation story. It is said that Papatuanuku and Ranginui, the earth mother and sky
father, loved each other so much that their own son, Tane Mahuta, had to separate them to bring back light and life to earth. He did so by lying in his back and pushing with his feet. But Tane’s brother, the god of winds of Tawhirimatea, thought that his actions were cruel and became so enraged that he pulled out his own eyes and threw them into the sky. Now the eyes look down on man and are there to aid the sun on it’s journey south. In Greek stories and versions of the same star cluster, the actual nine stars are mentioned as two parents and their children.

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1. Matariki is a star cluster, where for word it means eyes of god. Some say that ranginui the sky father and papatuauku the earth mother were parted from their offspring, the sky father got enraged and teared out his eyes and chucked them into space.

2. The seven stars of matariki are a mother and her six children. Tupu-ā-Nuku, Tupu-ā-rangi, waipunarangi, waitī, Waitiā , Tupi-ā

3. From the start of June just before sunrise, look north east across the horizon.

4. North east of the on the horizon

5. It can be seen in most parts of the world and at almost any time of year. This is due to earth's rotation.

6. Matariki has two meanings in Maori. Both are referring to the star cluster Matariki means tiny eyes and also eyes of god. In the original story he rips out his eyes and throws them into the heavens.

7. Story 1- an adventurous man named Me Tai saw his seven good looking brothers in the village of Makatu and watched all of them be bewitched by many beautiful women, under their evil spell they cannot do anything. Later realising that the women were fairy like women. He knew that they could be cast out of the village. He decides to give them to the God of the stars, the god of the stars then decides to turn them into stars in the heveans above.

8. Story 2- when the sky father and the and the earth mother were separated the god of weather, Tawhirimatea, was sad that his parents got seperated. Due to him being sad his eyes started to glow and water up. The tears he cried went up the the heveans and became a bunch of stars. This is the cluster of stars we call Matariki.

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James

1. The matariki stars are a star cluster and not a star constellation. The name for them in Greek is Pleiades

2.Waiti, Waita, Waipuna-ā-rangi, Tupu-ā-nuku, Tupu-ā-rangi, Matariki, Ururangi.

3. Matariki is found in the low on the horizon in the northeast of the sky and is best spotted between 5.30am and 6.30am in July.

4. Matariki is situated in the north east of the horizon

5. It is not visible year round just after the festivals of matariki.

6. For Maori, the matariki stars signal the start of the Maori new year and can be used to predict whether that year’s harvests will be abundant.

7. Legend says that matariki with literally means the 'eyes of god'or 'little eyes'. Some say that when Ranginui, the sky father, and Papatūānuku, the earth mother were separated by their offspring, the god of the winds, Tāwhirimātea, became angry, tearing out his eyes and hurling them into the heavens. I couldn’t find a second story.

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Research questions

1- Matariki is a star cluster and it was referred to as Pleiades

2- The stars are called:
Waipuna-a-rangi
Ururangi
Hika-i-Te-rangi
Waita
Pohutukawa
Waiti
Matariki
Tupuārangi-a-nuku
Tupu-a-rangi

3- one of the easiest times to see the Matariki is at the end of summer/ beginning of autumn and it appears at just after sunset.

4- the matariki is found low on the horizon in the North-East

5- the Matariki is not visible just after the festival of Matariki (the festival is anytime during June)

6- Matariki was a time to remember those who had died the last year.

7- Book name= The Seven Stars of Matariki

Mitai’s seven brothers are bewitched by seven beautiful women and he seeks advice and learns that the women must be cast away. They are given to Urutengangana (The God of the Stars) who places them in the faraway heavens. Once a year, he allows them to shine in the Eastern sky.

A version of matariki

When the Sky father and the Earth Mother were separated the God of Winds became angry and tore out his eyes, hurling them into the heavens.

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Yonas

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Matariki story.

Every year in June the seven stars fly up to the north-east and just visible above the horizon at dawn, it is called Matariki, or Maori new year. The seven sisters, have always been important to Maori astronomers. They have been inspired by the Greek legends. The legend of Matariki said “The mother was surrounded by her six daughters. The children of the earth mother Papatuanuku and sky father, Ranginui, were divided over whether to separate them and bring light and life to earth. Eventually the god of the Forests laid on his back and used his feet’s it force them apart. And brought life on Earth.

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Tēnā koutou, tama mā. The next 2 lessons, you will- prepare your Matariki Project. Ready to be presented in 2 weeks.This project will be a culmination of all you have done this term. ie; Information gathering, poem, song composing.- it will be a presentation project, ie; keynote, powerpoint, imovie, etc. Submit a copy here.by Friday, June 19, Week 8.

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https://spark.adobe.com/video/cR0hPANu1Q4qg

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https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/10aDhWr6_l0DUDvupqTOOArn6IA0b6jWtnvbAQ_L2NmE/edit

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https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/10lsRHdfKnoUw4Ek_EelJV5Qt_SsBVX1Z9MawAkEBpPI/edit