What is Matariki all about??

What is Matariki?

Matariki is the Māori name for the cluster of stars also known as the Pleiades. It rises in mid-winter – late May or early June. For many Māori, it heralds the start of a new year.

Matariki literally means the ‘eyes of god’ (mata ariki) or ‘little eyes’ (mata riki). According to myth, when Ranginui, the sky father, and Papatūānuku, the earth mother, were separated by their children, the god of the winds, Tāwhirimātea, became so angry that he tore out his eyes and threw them into the heavens.

Cycles of life and death

Traditionally, Matariki was a time to remember those who had died in the last year. But it was also a happy event – crops had been harvested and seafood and birds had been collected. With plenty of food in the storehouses, Matariki was a time for singing, dancing and feasting.

Modern Matariki

Matariki, or Māori New Year celebrations were once popular, but stopped in the 1940s. In 2000, they were revived. Only a few people took part at first, but in just a few years thousands were honouring the ‘New Zealand Thanksgiving’. A special feature of Matariki celebrations is the flying of kites – according to ancient custom they flutter close to the stars.

Revival

Matariki celebrations were popular before the arrival of Europeans in New Zealand, and they continued into the 1900s. Gradually they dwindled, with one of the last traditional festivals recorded in the 1940s. At the beginning of the 21st century Matariki celebrations were revived. Their increasing popularity has led to some to suggest that Matariki should replace the Queen's birthday as a national holiday.

When Te Rangi Huata organised his first Matariki celebrations in Hastings in 2000, about 500 people joined him. In 2003, 15,000 people came. Te Rangi Huata believes that Matariki is becoming more popular because it celebrates Māori culture and in doing so brings together all New Zealanders: ‘It’s becoming a little like Thanksgiving or Halloween, except it’s a celebration of the Maori culture here in (Aotearoa) New Zealand. It’s New Zealand's Thanksgiving.’ 1

Māori kites

The revival of Matariki has also played a part in the increasing popularity of the traditional Māori kite (pākau). Hekenukumai Busby, an expert in traditional Māori navigation, has said that the ancestors of Māori, including the Polynesians of ancient history, welcomed Matariki by flying kites.

Accordingly, Te Taura Whiri i te reo Māori (Māori Language Commission), in their 2001 booklet on Matariki, suggested that kites could be flown on the first day of the new year. A number of modern Matariki celebrations have involved making and flying kites. In a modern twist, the Hastings festival featured fireworks and hot air balloons, symbolising kites flown from the hilltops by the ancestors.

Links and websites:

• Astronomy NZ – taatai arorangi (Māori astronomy)

  An explanation of Māori star lore, including star charts, star names and mythology.

• Matariki

  This pdf booklet (684 KB, 19 pp.), published by Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori (the Māori Language Commission), is a bi-lingual resource on Matariki for teachers and students.

• Matariki and Māori-language week

  This page from a Ministry of Education site provides background information about Matariki, and lists activities and resources.

• Te Ao Hou – Matariki

  This article based on information supplied by Harry Dansey appeared in December 1967 in issue no. 61 of the journal Te Ao Hou, a bilingual quarterly published by the Department of Maori Affairs.