Matariki signals the start of the Māori New Year that begins with the rising of the Matariki star cluster (the Pleiades or Seven Sisters).
Because Māori follow Maramataka (the Māori lunar calendar), not the European calendar, the dates for Matariki change every year. In 2019 Matariki will re-appear in the dawn sky between the 25th to 28th June.
Matariki is a time a time for renewal, celebration and wellbeing. Māori were guided by the stars, when Matariki disappeared in April/May, it was time to preserve crops for the winter season. When it re-appeared in June/July, tūpuna would read the stars to predict the upcoming season – clear and bright stars promised a warm and abundant winter while hazy stars warned of a bleak winter (from Te Iwa o Matariki).
See our last year’s post on Matariki »
Te Iwa o Matariki Resources
Find out more about Te Iwa o Matariki with these helpful resources.
- Te Iwa o Matariki poster (Te Reo Māori)
- Te Iwa o Matariki poster (English)
- Te Iwa o Matariki colouring book
SouthSideKids 