Matariki – A Time to Reflect

Tomorrow marks the second anniversary of the official public holiday to recognise Te Ao Māori – Matariki. Although it won’t always fall on the same date each year (just like the Easter holidays) it’ll always fall on a Friday.

Refer to last year’s post that I wrote for more information about some of the specific stars that make up the star cluster known in Aotearoa (New Zealand) as Matariki. The rising of this star cluster which is known around the world by many names, but most commonly Pleiades, signals in the Māori New Year and is made up of several hundred stars.

It’s a common thing to gaze up at the night sky on a clear night and take in the signs and wonders, and even feel as sense of awe when one searches the stars for clusters that we know of. However, only a handful are visible to the naked eye, even though there are millions that we can see, and each star in those clusters has special significance.

Māori believe that the appearance of Matariki in the morning sky in mid-winter signals a time to remember those who have passed, celebrate the present and plan for the future, and it is also a time to reflect.

The public holiday affords us time to do exactly this while we also possibly spend time with our whānau and friends – to consider what it means to be ‘community’ together, enjoying kai (food), waiata (song), and tākaro (games).

So what can you do to celebrate Matariki this year?

Possibly you could get up early in the morning and head outside to view Matariki before sunrise, taking time to remember loved ones who are no longer with us. Some people even like to call out the names of the dead to honour them, or you might like to sit around a fire sharing memories of the people who are no longer with us here on earth.

You may want to say a karakia (prayer) that relates to Matariki and learn about the maramataka (Māori Calendar) and the many phases of the moon, along with identifying as many stars as you can.

You may like to spend some time in solitude, contemplating the world around us, your part in it and give thanks for the year that has passed, sharing your thoughts, words, a scripture, and a karakia to God.

For, “when I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them? … Lord, our God, how majestic is your name in all the earth!” Psalm 8:3-4 & 9

(New International Version)

You may even like to organise a Matariki feast (breakfast, lunch or dinner), so that you can spend time with whānau and friends that you haven’t seen for a while.

Possibly you could plan and create some goals for the year ahead, writing them down and posting them somewhere you’ll see on consistent basis, so that they can remind you each day of what you are working towards.

Or maybe you’d like to plan and plant a garden of remembrance so that you can be reminded of the new life that follows as a plant grows and produces more leaves, flowers and fruit etc.

Celebrate in a way that feels right for you and your family 🙂

For other activities and resources that you can do check out what Te Wānanga o Aotearoa have provided for free here.

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Matariki – New Public Holiday

Today marks the first public holiday to recognise Te Ao Māori – Matariki and although it will not always fall on the same date each year (just like the Easter holidays) it will always fall on a Friday.

The rising of the star cluster which is known around the world by many names, but most commonly Pleiades, signals in the Māori New Year and is made up of several hundred stars.

But only a handful are visible to the naked eye and each star in the cluster has special significance. According to Māori astronomer Dr Rangi Mātāmua;

First up, there’s Pōhutukawa. Many Māori believe that this is the star which guides the dead across the night sky. When the cluster returns to the horizon just before the sunrises, the dead of the year make their final journey into the sky. They then become stars in the sky for eternity.

Then as far as geneology goes, Mātāmua says Tupuānuku is next. It means to grow in the ground, and is connected to all of the kai/produce which we get from the ground.

Tupuārangi is the star that’s connected to the forest – to bird life, and the harvesting of food products grown in trees or above the ground such as fruit.

Waitī is fresh water. It’s the star that is linked to fresh water and all the creatures that live in the rivers, the streams and the lakes – particularly eels. Waitā is salt water and is linked to the moana, and the many kinds of food that can be gathered from the sea.

The next star in the cluster is Waipuna-ā-rangi, which means water from the sky. It will determine whether there will be a drought, or an abundance of rain for that season.

Ururangi is linked to the winds. Māori have hundreds of names for different winds.

The youngest star in the cluster is Hiwa-i-te-rangi. This is the star where we can send our wishes, hopes and dreams for the year.

Mātāmua says each of these stars, are the children of the central and biggest star of them all – Matariki. She is the mother of the cluster.

He says that when the stars rise as one group, Matariki hunga nui, that’s when everyone should gather together and unite as one.

“All of them feed into the wellbeing of people and that’s what Matariki represents,” Mātāmua says.

“When Matariki is bright, it’s a sign of peace and a sign of wellbeing for people on earth.” (Source: 1News)

The New Zealand Government has committed to ensuring mātauranga Maori is at the heart of celebrations around the country. It will be a time for:

Remembrance – honouring those we have lost since the last rising of Matariki

Celebrating the present – gathering together to give thanks for what we have

Looking to the future – looking forward to the promise of a new year.

Te Wānanga o Aotearoa who provide holistic education opportunities of the highest quality for Māori, peoples of Aotearoa and the world have provided a range of resources that you may want to check out including this awesome colouring and activity book which is available here.

You can also check out what events are happening when and where around the country for the inaugural Matariki public holiday here.

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