Te Papa, in conjunction with its partners Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori and Te Tāhuhu ō te Mātauranga, is getting ready to celebrate Matariki, the traditional Māori New Year, with four weeks of free shows, lectures, and activities, beginning on Saturday 25 May.
In the early morning of 12 June, the star cluster Matariki - or Pleiades - appears in our dawn skies. The Māori New Year begins with the first new moon after the first appearance of Matariki. This year the new moon also appears on 12 June. The bright star Puanga - or Rigel - emerges at about the same time, and for some iwi it is the appearance of Puanga rather than Matariki that is celebrated.
During the weeks of Matariki, all activities are tapu, and take on great spiritual importance. Crops are planted, and Rongo-ma-tane, the god of cultivated food, is appeased for a productive return. It is a good time to gather pikopiko (fern fronds) and a host of native berries. It is also the right time to cast fishing nets and lines into the depths of Tangaroa - god of the sea - to make the most of bountiful supplies of migrating fish.
The appearance of Matariki in the sky is considered vital. If the stars in the cluster are clear and bright, it is thought that the year ahead will be warm and productive. If they appear hazy and shimmering, a cold winter is in store, and all activities during the period of Matariki must take this into account.
Te Papa has adopted Matariki as an annual event, and as iwi all around the country mark this period with song, dance, feasting, and ceremony, Te Papa will host an exciting line-up of performers including bands, dance troupes, storytellers, and kapa haka groups.
Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori (the Māori Language Commission) sees Matariki as an opportunity to promote the Māori language by establishing Matariki as a domain for learning and using te reo Māori. A website has been developed to offer some information and suggested activities for future celebrations.
As well as lending support to Te Papa’s events programme, Te Taura Whiri will host a national Māori language conference at Te Papa on 13 and 14 June. ‘Uia Ngā Kāinga’, the conference theme, acknowledges the importance of Māori language in the home. The aim of the conference is to gather together national Māori language interest groups to explore the best path ahead for the regeneration of the Māori language.
Te Tāhuhu ō te Mātauranga supports Te Papa’s Matariki vision because it sees the event as an ideal opportunity to present and profile its Te Mana programme. The key focus of this three-year programme is to improve educational outcomes for Māori. The traditional themes of growth, development, and renewal that surround Matariki fit perfectly with the strategy’s vision, as ‘Te Mana ki te taumata - get there with learning’ seeks to inspire and achieve greater success for Māori in education.
The opportunity to align and support such an event in the company of Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori is yet another positive dimension as the growth and development of te reo Māori is also a key strand to the ministry’s broader Māori education strategy.
The Ministry of Education also sees the potential of Matariki to work at a community level, as a very powerful way of drawing whānau (families), hapū (sub-tribes), and iwi (tribal groups) together with schools to celebrate something that is quite unique to our country.
Te Tāhuhu o te Mātauranga believes Te Papa’s commitment to establish Matariki as a signature event will provide many future educational opportunities for Māori to celebrate their cultural uniqueness. As a consequence, this will provide opportunities for the nation to celebrate its unique place in the world.
Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori encourages everyone to take this opportunity to participate in Māori culture and language by celebrating Matariki as a unique expression of our international identity.
For Te Papa, Matariki is an annual event that celebrates the indigenous calendar of Aotearoa, and it attracts performers and visitors from all around New Zealand. To commemorate Matariki, Te Papa Press has produced a Matariki calendar that runs from June 2002 until May 2003. The calendar is based on traditional knowledge of the seasonal cycle, and looks at its significance to Māori.