Matariki mā Puanga
Overview
Every year during winter, twinkling in the sky just before dawn, Matariki (the Pleiades) signals the Māori New Year. Traditionally, it was a time for remembering the dead, celebrating new life, reading signs for the upcoming new year, and planning for the future. In this century, observing Matariki has been revitalised, and is celebrated in a number of different ways in Aotearoa.
I ia tau, i te wāhanga o te takurua, ka kōwhitiwhiti mai a Matariki e rikoriko ana i te rangi i te ata hāpara. I te ao Māori, koia nei ia te tohu mō te tīmatanga o te tau hōu; he wā tēnei hei maumahara me te poroporoaki i ngā mate, hei whakanui i te ao mārama me te āwhio o te ora; hei aro hoki ki mua ki te tau e heke mai. Nā reira, i tēnei rautau, kua whakarauora ēnei ritenga, ā, he maha ngā momo mahi i Aotearoa hei whakanui i a Matariki.
He Kupu whakataki - Introduction
Matariki is the Māori name for the Pleiades star cluster. In Aotearoa, Matariki reappears in June or July, marking the beginning of the Māori New Year and this is a time for celebration and rememberance. Matariki appears low on the north-eastern horizon before dawn, in the tail of the Milky Way. Across Aotearoa, there are diverse traditions, meanings, and stories connected to each star in this sacred cluster and different iwi celebrate Matariki in unique ways. Some iwi also recognise Puanga (or Puaka) alongside Matariki.
Ko Matariki te kāhui whetū e kīia ana e te Pākehā, ko Pleiades. Tārewa tū ai a Matariki i Aotearoa i te marama o Pipiri, i te Hōngongoi rānei. He rerekē ngā rā i ia tau, nā te mea ka whai Maramataka ēnei tikanga. Hei te ata pō ka kitea a Matariki i te pito o Te Ika-whenua-o-te-rangi (Milky Way), e tārewa ana i te pae o te uru-mā-rāwhiti.
Kei tēnā iwi, kei tēnā iwi āna tikanga, tōna wā hei whakanui i a Matariki. Ko ētahi iwi ka whakanui i te putanga mai anō a Matatriki me tōna matenga hei te mutunga o te marama, ko ētahi iwi ka tatari kia hua te marama, ko ētahi atu iwi ka tatari kia kōwhiti te marama hōu. Ki ētahi iwi e iwa ngā whetū, ki ētahi e whitu noa. Ka whakanui ētahi iwi i a Puanga/Puaka hoki.
Heoi, kei tēnā iwi, kei tēnā iwi Māori āna momo kōrero, āna waiata, āna whakataukī hei whakanui i a Matariki.
He Ngohe - Activities
Matariki – Celebrate the Cluster
Celebrate the rising of Matariki by exploring stars and space through creative play—fairy lights, star-themed crafts, black playdough with glitter, and DIY lanterns. Build waka or rocket ships and learn how stars guided great journeys.
Whānaungatanga – Celebrate Family Connection
Matariki is a time to gather, share kai, and strengthen whānau bonds. Host a feast, exchange gifts, visit your local landmarks or other Centres, and celebrate identity and belonging by displaying pepeha and whānau stories on your walls.
Maumahara – Celebrate Remembrance
Reflect on loved ones and Centre history by lighting candles, sharing pūrākau, revisiting stories, and creating models of your maunga or awa. Honour the past through storytelling and connection.
Te Tau Hou – Celebrate the New Year
Set intentions for the year ahead by planting seeds, writing down hopes and dreams, refreshing displays, and starting collaborative projects. Learn about Atua Māori and revitalise cultural resources.
Te Taiao – Celebrate the Outdoors
Reconnect with nature by stargazing, exploring local flora and fauna, and practising kaitiakitanga through recycling, composting, and community clean-ups. Enjoy sand, mud, and water play in the taiao.
Mātauranga – Celebrate Learning
Share knowledge through pūrākau, games, and cultural workshops. Learn about traditional navigation, invite tutors, and encourage tamariki to bring stories and games from home.
Printable resources
Learning through play activities for each whetū star
Waitī
Wai means water in te Reo Māori. Waitī is the star connected to fresh water and all the creatures that live in rivers, streams and lakes. Especially the korokoro (lamprey fish).
Learning Through Play Ideas
- Visit your local awa and learn more about it with your centre whānau.
- Make tuna (eels) from paper and have fun decorating and painting.
- Make your own hīnaki from recyclables like milk bottles. A hīnaki is a traditional Māori tool used for catching tuna.
Waitā
Waitā is a twin to Waitī, shining on sources of salt water and protecting all life sustained within it. This star relates to food harvested from the sea.
Learning Through Play Ideas
- Make a waka canoe out of cardboard and kōrero talk about the great voyages using the stars as a guide.
- Bring in ika fish or kai moana seafood and cook it for tamariki to try. Kōrero about what you might use to catch a fish.
- Head to the beach together to collect kota shells and paewai driftwood. Use these to make or decorate Matariki stars.
Waipunarangi
Waipunarangi translates as ‘water that pools in the sky’. Waipunarangi symbolises the relationship water has to our life cycle, how it evaporates from the rivers, oceans, and lakes to fall again as rain which we drink, and which nourishes the land.
Along with Ururangi, Waipunarangi’s appearance at the rise of Matariki forecasts the weather for the new year.
Learning Through Play Ideas
- Use ipu vessels to collect rainwater and use the ua rain collected to water the māra garden.
- Investigate water conservation and water barrels for sustainable water practices.
- Plant a kākano seed, water it, then cover it with a glass jar, set in a sunny spot and watch the condensation gather on the glass jar.
Tupuānuku
Tupuānuku is the star connected with everything that grows within the soil to be harvested or gathered for food. This star can be read as an indication of how well your crops will grow in the next season.
Learning Through Play Ideas
- Learn the karakia kai – E Rongo, e Rongo
- Set up a compost bin and or worm farm.
- Read the pukapuka book Te Taonga nei te kūmara The gift of kūmara. This book as well as other resources can be found at www.5adayeducation.org.nz
Tupuārangi
Tupuārangi is connected to food that comes from the sky. Tupuārangi is connected to all elevated food products like berries, fruits harvested from trees, and birds.
Learning Through Play Ideas
- Find out about/draw/explore Tane Māhuta.
- Plant fruit trees, or blackberries, or blueberries.
- Practice mindfulness: Lie down under the trees and close your eyes; what can you hear?
Pōhutukawa
Pōhutukawa holds on to our memories of treasured people who have passed on. This star encourages us to remember special people who have passed away. This is also a great opportunity for you to support vulnerable people in your communities.
Learning Through Play Ideas
- Light a candle to remember someone special.
- Make kites! Māori kites are known as manu tukutuku or manu aute and are a way of sending messages to people who lived far away, or who had died. Manu is the word for both bird and kite. Tukutuku refers to the winding out of the line as the kite climbs and aute is a type of bark used to make kites.
- Ask tamariki to invite a special guest to session, such as their grandparents or a neighbour.
Ururangi
Ururangi is the star connected to the winds which determines the nature of the winds for the year. Māori have always maintained a keen interest in the wind. Manu Aute or traditional Māori kites played an important role in traditional times in understanding the wind and its behaviour.
Along with Waipunarangi, Ururangi’s appearance at the rise of Matariki forecasts the weather for the new year.
Learning Through Play Ideas
- Talk about/find out about/draw/explore Tāwhirimātea God of the weather.
- Give tamariki a straw and a tray with objects of different weights to discover that their breath, like the wind, can move objects around without being seen. How will they move? Quickly, slowly, or not at all?
- Explore taonga puroro musical instruments such as Porotiti and Pūrerehua
Hiwa-i-te-rangi
Hiwa-i-te-rangi is a wishing star, who helps us to recognise our hopes, dreams, and aspirations for the coming year.
Learning Through Play Ideas
- Collect twigs, branches, driftwood and make stars, bunting, or mobiles.
- Kōrero talk about what has worked well for your whānau over the last year. What are your hopes and dreams for the coming new year?
- Invite tamariki to bring in a special toy from home. Kōrero with them about their special toy.
Matariki
Matariki is the mother of the kāhui cluster. She is associated with health and wellbeing of people. She also is a sign of hope, reflection, our connection to the environment and people gathering.
Learning Through Play Ideas
- Bake some takakau Māori bread together. Takakau – Maori bread recipe – Download pdf
- Enjoy a mid-winter feast with whānau and your Playcentre village.
- Learn some karakia kai food blessings.
Whakatauki proverbs
E koekoe te Tūī, e ketekete te kākā, e kūkū te kererū
The tūī chatters, the kākā cackles, the kererū coos
Hoki atu ki tōu maunga kia purea e koe ki ngā hau o Tāwhirimātea
Return to your mountain to be cleansed by the winds of Tāwhirimātea
Ko Matariki te kaitō i te hunga pākeke ki te pō
Matariki draws the frail into the night
Ka mahuta a Matariki i te pae, ka mahuta ō tātou tūmanako ki te tau
When Matariki rises above the horizon, our aspirations rise to the year ahead
Matariki, te whetū tapu o te tau,te whetū ora mō te ao
Matariki, the sacred star of the year, the star of wellbeing for the world
Ngā waiata o Matariki – songs of Matariki
Matariki and Star songs Spotify Playlsit
Matariki Waiata Spotify Playlist
Matariki by Rahera Davies
To view on YouTube click here
Matariki by Rahera Davies – Download pdf
Matariki makarena – 7 stars
To view on YouTube click here
Matariki makarena (7 stars) – Download pdf
Matariki makarena – 9 stars
Matariki makarena (9 stars) – Download pdf
Matariki by Sharon Holt
Matariki by Sharon Holt – Download pdf
Pipi mā Matariki
To view on YouTube click here
Pipi mā Matariki – Download pdf
Tirama tirama Matariki
To view on YouTube click here
Tirama tirama Matariki – Download pdf
Ngā Tamariki O Matariki
To view on YouTube click here
Ngā whakataukī mō Matariki – Matariki proverbs
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 and celebration.
Remembrance
A lovely sentiment of memory and honour.
Haere atu rā e koro ki te paepae o Matariki, o Rehua. haere atu rā.
Farewell elder, go to the threshold of Matariki, of Rehua. Farewell
Planting crops
Matariki a time for gathering, reflecting, and celebrating the Māori New Year
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 far-off,
Bestow the first fruits of the year upon us.
Hauhake tū
A time to celebrate all of the efforts from the year previous.
Hauhake tū, ka tō Matariki
The lifting of crops begins when Matariki sets.
Ka kitea a Matariki
A tohu, sign, of the times to prepare for the year ahead and remember the year past.
Ka kitea a Matariki,
ka rere ake te korokoro
When the Pleiades star is seen, the lamprey migrate.
Ka kitea a Matariki – Download pdf
Ka rere a Matariki
Matariki signifies that it is time to prepare for the new year by opeserving kai and resources.
Ka rere a Matariki, ka wera te hinu
When Matariki rises the fat is heated.
Ka rere a Matariki – Download pdf
Matariki ahunga nui
Matariki is a time to prepare the kūmara mounds in the māra kai garden for the year ahead.
Matariki ahunga nui
Matariki when many mounds are heaped.
Matariki ahunga nui – Download pdf
Ngā kai a Matariki
Matariki is a time to celebrate and remember, one way that iwi do that is through a ceremony called hautapu.
Ngā kai a Matariki, nāna i ao ake ki runga
The foods of Matariki, scooped up by her – refers to the abundance of food.
Ngā kai a Matariki – Download pdf