KiwiParent from Parents Center NZ Test Volume | Page 10

Matariki
a time for celebration
and remembrance
Traditionally, Matariki is a time to prepare, to learn,
to share ideas, and to celebrate the future. Just as the
Northern Hemisphere prepares for spring and growth
on the 1st of January, during its New Year celebrations,
Matariki is our time to move from one year to the next.

Traditionally, Matariki
Whatto prepare; to
is Matariki?
is a time
During Matariki we celebrate our
learn, to sharethe world. We give
ideas,
unique place in
and to celebrate the on which we
respect to the whenua
future. admiration
live, andJust as the to our mother
-earth Papatuanuku.

Throughout Matariki we learn about
those who came before us. Our
history. Our family. Our bones.
Matariki signals growth. It’s a time
of change. It’s a time to prepare,
and a time of action.
During Matariki we acknowledge
what we have and what we have
to give.
Matariki celebrates the diversity
of life. It’s a celebration of culture,
language, spirit and people.
Matariki is our Aotearoa Pacific New
Year.

In the olden days, a lookout was
posted to watch for the pre-dawn
rise of Matariki. This marked the
start of Matariki and the New Year
celebrations began on the sighting
of the next new moon. There are
many different celebrations for
Matariki, usually with key traditional
themes.

The Stars of
Matariki
Matariki is a small cluster of tiny
stars, also known as the Pleiades.
The Matariki constellation twinkles
on and off in such a way that one
second you’ll see them, and another
they’ll be gone. There are two
translations – mata riki, tiny eyes;
and mata ariki, eyes of god.
Towards the end of May each year,
Matariki rises on the north-east
horizon on the same spot as the

Continued overleaf...

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