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 your living walls with pepeha and whānau stories.
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 tua 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
These Matariki learning resources can be used to help kaiako integrate a Māori perspective into the ways we celebrate Matariki. Children exploring and participating in cultural customs and waiata and using natural resources in their play is beneficial to their learning and development.
Matariki poster Waiti – Download pdf
Matariki poster Waita – Download pdf
Matariki poster Waipunarangi – Download pdf
Matariki poster Tupuānuku – Download pdf
Matariki poster Pohutukawa – Download pdf
Matariki poster Hiwa-i-te-rangi – Download pdf
Matariki poster Matariki – Download pdf
Please see below to download all learning through play activities resources:
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 passed.
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 hew 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, by her scooped up.
Ngā kai a Matariki – Download pdf