Matariki

Matariki is the Māori name for the cluster of stars also known as the Pleiades. It rises late May to early June. Matariki is the Maori new year and it was a good time to harvest and remember your whakapapa.

Matariki is a good time to remember your ancestors and it was a good time to plant and harvest new food. These food would feed the tribe for most of the year.

Matariki literally means the ‘eyes of god’ (mata ariki) or ‘little eyes’ (mata riki). 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. Others say Matariki is the mother surrounded by her six daughters, Tupu-ā-nuku, Tupu-ā-rangi, Waitī, Waitā, Waipuna-ā-rangi and Ururangi. One account explains that Matariki and her daughters appear to assist the sun, Te Rā, whose winter journey from the north has left him weakened.

There are seven stars and their names are waipuna-a-rangi, uru-a-rangi, tapu-a-rangi, tupu-a-nuku, waiti, waita and the biggest one in the middle Matariki.