KiwiParent from Parents Center NZ Test Volume | Page 12

rising sun, around half an hour
before dawn. This signals the
beginning of Matariki celebrations.
The new year celebrations are held
on the sighting of the next new
moon.
As the year moves from autumn
towards its shortest winter day,
the sunrise moves north along the
eastern horizon. When the sunrise
reaches Matariki, it turns around
and starts moving south again. This
effect can be seen everywhere on
the planet and makes the Matariki
stars famous throughout the world.
In Greece, several important temples
face straight towards Matariki.

-Papat u anuku

(earth mother and
wife to Ranginui)
Matariki is a time to prepare the
whenua (land) on which we live. In
the middle of winter during Matariki,
the land is in its most inactive phase
and traditionally, certain vegetables
were planted to appease the
land-based gods Rongo, Uenuku
and Whiro. These days, Matariki is
the perfect time to make plans for
the land and for the new spring
garden. It’s also a good time to learn
about the land and the forest.

Family activities:
?? Develop a recycling plan for your
home, school or local area.
?? Learn the names of the trees
and plants in local forests and
reserves.
?? Learn which plants you can eat
and which help to heal.

?? Draw out a plan for a spring
garden and start to gather the
seed and seed lings.
?? Plant native trees and shrubs.

Whakapapa
(genealogy)
Because Matariki was a relatively
inactive period of the year, this
allowed for extra time for study and
learning. For some iwi the stars form
the first house of learning – a whare
wananga in the sky.
Matariki is a time to learn about
your whanau (family), and a time
to remember those who have
passed on from this world to the
next. Whakapapa is an important
part of Matariki celebrations. A
focus on our whakapapa gives us
a better understanding of who we
are, where we have come from
and where we are going. It is also a
great way to bring whanau together
to share stories and knowledge.

Family activities:
?? Start your own whakapapa chart
or book.
?? Organise time to bring
grandparents and grandchildren
together to share stories.
?? Record oral histories on tape or
video.
?? Create something to remember
those who have recently passed
on.
?? Clear the weeds from whänau
graves and tidy up the cemetery.
?? Organise an iwi, hapu or whanau
gathering to learn whakapapa.

Ranginui (ancestor
or god of the sky
and husband to
Papat-uaanuku)
Matariki is one of many significant
stars in the southern skies. Puanga
(Rigel) is also a key signal for the
coming of the New Year. The night
sky contains massive numbers of
stars, which were used by Maori as
a way to calculate time and seasons,
to navigate oceans, to preserve
knowledge and stories, to maintain
customary practices, and to inspire
action and achievement.
One story tells of Ranginui literally
lifting out of the eastern horizon
with the start of the New Year,
marked out by the stars of Matariki,
Puanga and others. Matariki at
his right shoulder; Puanga at his
forehead, Tautoru (Orion’s Belt) at
his neck and Takurua (Sirius) on his
left shoulder. Other stars show
Maui’s fish hook drawn across the
sky by the stars of Scorpius.
Matariki is the perfect time to look
towards Ranginui, at the many star
patterns in our skies. If you haven’t
seen Matariki before, then get up
before dawn and take a look. It’s
also a good time to dream, and to
set goals for the future.

Family activities:
?? Look for Matariki in our northeast skies just before dawn.
?? See if you can find Ranginui at
the same time, mapped out by
Matariki, Puanga, Tautoru and
Takurua.
?? ind shapes in the stars and map
F
them out on your own star chart.
?? ake up your own story using
M
the shapes in the stars.
?? ee if you can find a story from
S
your people about particular
stars and record them.

Takoha (gift or
donation)
Matariki falls at the end of the
harvest and was therefore a time
of plenty. The kumara and other
root foods had been gathered. With
the migration of fish such as moki
and korokoro, Matariki was a time
for bountiful catches. Native berries
and pikopiko (fern fronds) were
gathered. Other foods had been
preserved and the stores were full,
visitors were often showered with
gifts of specially preserved eel, birds
and other delicacies. Matariki was a
time to share and present offerings
to others.
Giving is a key part of many cultural
celebrations all around the world.
Matariki is no exception – it is a time
to give what you have to spare to
those who need it. It’s about finding
something of your self to offer
others.
?? Find a gift for the needy or
elderly in your community.
?? Find something you have to
spare, and give it away to

somebody who needs it.
?? Give your time to a project.
?? Gift something to your
community or to a stranger.
?? Do something for somebody
who will not be able to do it for
themselves.
?? Gather together food from your
garden and give some of it
away.
?? Call together some people in
your whanau or neighbourhood,
and develop a gifting plan for
your marae or community group.
?? Give to a charity organisation or
a local sports club.
?? Gift some food from your
shopping to the foodbank.

H akari – Te
Whakangahau
(banquet or feast)
The first new moon after the rise of
Matariki, signalled the start of the
New Year celebrations. Traditionally
these celebrations could last for
up to three days. Action songs,
karanga and prayers would be

directed at Matariki throughout the
celebrations. With the food stores
full, feasts were held and attended
by prominent visitors. Everyone
gathered together to see in the
New Year.
?? Make a wish for the new year
when you see the new moon.
?? Call whanau and friends

together to see the new moon
and celebrate the new year.

?? rganise a concert for the
O
Matariki new year.
?? old a dance or throw a party.
H
?? repare a feast to farewell the
P
old year and see in the new one.
?? Build a kite and fly it on the first
day of the new year.

Material prepared courtesy
of Tuhia mai to whakautu ki
roto i te Reo Maori
www.tetaurawhiri.govt.nz
www.koreromaori.co.nz
www.ma-tereo.co.nz

?? isit an observatory or find a
V
local astronomer to learn more
about the stars.
?? aint or craft some artwork, as
P
an image for the year ahead.
?? tart something new – use the
S
opportunity to set new goals for
the New Year.

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