How to use the Maramataka | Māori lunar calendar Me pēwhea te whakamahi i te Maramataka

Print a Maramataka Maramataka dial, explore its energy levels, and use it to plan activities with your whānau

whānau.

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Tāia tētahi Maramataka matarā, tūhuratia ngā pae pūngao, whakamahia hoki hei whakariterite i ngā mahi mā tō whānau.

An illustration of the Maramataka dials. One contains the phases of the moon and the other the dates of the month

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The Maramataka dial | te Maramataka matarā. Image courtesy of The Spinoff

How the Maramataka dial works

What is the Maramataka?

Download, print, and cut out the Maramataka dial.

Pin the small disc (with days of the month) in the centre of the big disc (with phases of the Moon).

Align today’s date with today’s phase of the Moon (if you live on the west...

Expand English text

Caption

The Maramataka dial | te Maramataka matarā. Image courtesy of The Spinoff

How the Maramataka dial works

What is the Maramataka?

Download, print, and cut out the Maramataka dial.

Pin the small disc (with days of the month) in the centre of the big disc (with phases of the Moon).

Align today’s date with today’s phase of the Moon (if you live on the west coast, set your dial to the previous day). This shows you the Māori name of the phase.

Reset your dial each new moon cycle. If you live on the west coast, set your dial to Ōturu, the day before the full moon. If you live on the east coast, set your dial to Rākaunui, the day of the full moon.

Download the Maramataka dial (1.4 MB)

The Maramataka’s energy levels

The colours on the calendar dial show different energy levels. The levels are caused by the gravitational forces of the Moon, Sun, and Earth. These forces pull the Earth's water in one direction.

The energy levels set different times for things to grow, to be active, and to regenerate. We humans are also pulled by gravitational forces, which affect our biology and emotions.

Try these activities at each phase of the Maramataka

Ōturu, Rākaunui (full moon), Rākaumatohi – high energy
Plant your own herb garden.
Plan meals to avoid waste.

Takirau – give back to the soil
Weed and prepare your garden for planting.

Okie, Korekore-te-whiwhia, Korekore-te-rawea – low energy, give back to Papatūānuku

Papatūānuku
Help to clean up inside and outside the house.
Volunteer for a community clean-up project.

Korekore-piri-ki-ngā-Tangaroa, Tangaroa-a-mua, Tangaroa-a-roto – fishing and planting
Learn how to make fishing rigs.
The fish are biting, so go fishing!

Tangaroa-kiokio, Ōtāne, Ōrongonui – give back to the forest
Go on a whānau bush walk and learn about native trees.

Omauri, Mutuwhenua, Whiro, Tirea – lowest energy, give back to the soil
Help to clean up your local bush.
Prepare seedlings for next planting season.

Ohoata, Ouenuku, Okoro – moderate energy, give back to the heavens
Meditate with your whānau.
Have a night without electric light, TV, phones, and computers.

Tamatea-ā-ngana, Tamatea-ā-hotu, Tamatea-āio – fishing
Another great time to go fishing!

Tamatea-kai-ariki, Huna, Ariroa, Hotu – give back to the water
Clean up your local beach or river.
Go walking or cycling with your whānau.

Māwharu, Atua, Ōhua – planting
Plant a fruit or native tree, or donate one to a school, a marae

marae, or Trees That Count.

Maramataka dial is displayed on a wall. To the left, a plant hangs into the frame. To the right, a taxidermied penguin appears in the frame. Under the dial can be seen an open book

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The Maramataka dial | te Maramataka matarā, 2020. Te Papa

Dial reproduced courtesy of The Spinoff and author Ayla Hoeta (‘Move over astrology, it’s time to return to the Māori lunar calendar’).

Close English text

Te mahi a te Maramataka matarā

He aha te Maramataka?

Tikina ake, tāia, tapahia atu te Maramataka matarā kei raro iho.

Pinea te matarā porotiti iti ki waenga i te Maramataka (ko te porotiti nui).

Whakahāngaitia tēnei rā ki te mata o te Marama (mēnā kei te taihauāuru koe e noho ana, whakaritea te matarā ki te rā i mua mai). E whakaatu mai ana tēnei ki a koe i te ingoa o te mata.

Whakahāngai anōtia tō matarā i ia huringa o te marama hou. Mēnā kei te taihauāuru koe e noho ana, whakaritea te matarā ki Ōturu. Mēnā kei te tairāwhiti...

Expand te reo Māori text

Te mahi a te Maramataka matarā

He aha te Maramataka?

Tikina ake, tāia, tapahia atu te Maramataka matarā kei raro iho.

Pinea te matarā porotiti iti ki waenga i te Maramataka (ko te porotiti nui).

Whakahāngaitia tēnei rā ki te mata o te Marama (mēnā kei te taihauāuru koe e noho ana, whakaritea te matarā ki te rā i mua mai). E whakaatu mai ana tēnei ki a koe i te ingoa o te mata.

Whakahāngai anōtia tō matarā i ia huringa o te marama hou. Mēnā kei te taihauāuru koe e noho ana, whakaritea te matarā ki Ōturu. Mēnā kei te tairāwhiti koe e noho ana, whakaritea te matarā ki Rākaunui tonu.

Caption

The Maramataka dial | te Maramataka matarā. Image courtesy of The Spinoff

Tīkina mai te Maramataka matarā (1.4 MB)

Ngā pae pūngao o te Maramataka

Ko tā ngā tae i te maramataka e whakaatu ana i ngā pae pūngao rerekē. He tohu i ngā ākinga tō ā-papa o te Marama, o te Rā, o Papatūānuku hoki. Ko te pūngao e kumea ana te wai o te ao ki te taha kotahi.

Mā te pūngao te wā e whakarite e tipu haere ai ngā mea, e pūngao oho ai, e whakamāui ake ai. E kumea ana hoki tātou te tangata e ngā ākinga tō ā-papa e paparia ana te koiora me ngā kare ā-roto.

Whakamātauria ēnei mahi ki ia mata o te Maramataka

Ōturu, Rākaunui, Rākaumatohi – pūngao nui
Me mahi māra rau kakara.
Whakaritea ngā kai kia kore ai e moumou.

Takirau – whakahokia te aroha ki a Haumietiketike
Ngakingaki tō māra kia wātea ai te oneone mō te whakatō.

Okie, Korekore-te-whiwhia, Korekore-te-rawea – pūngao ngoikore rawa, whakahokia te aroha ki a Papatūānuku
Āwhina ki te whakapaipai whare ki roto, ki waho hoki.
Me tūao ki tētahi kaupapa whakatikatika a te hapori.

Korekore-piri-ki-ngā-Tangaroa, Tangaroa-a-mua, Tangaroa-a-roto – te hī ika me te whakatō kai
Me ako ki te mahi i ngā matau hī ika.
Kei te matekai ngā ika! Me hī ika!

Tangaroa-kiokio, Ōtāne, Ōrongonui – whakahokia te aroha ki a Tāne
He hīkoi ā-whānau i te ngahere. Me ako ki ngā tipu, ki ngā rākau māori.

Omauri, Mutuwhenua, Whiro, Tirea – pūngao ngoikore rawa, whakahokia te aroha ki a Tāne rāua ko Rongomatāne
Āwhina ki te whakapaipai i te ngahere i tō rohe.
Whakaritea ngā purapura hei whakatō mō te wā e heke mai nei.

Ohoata, Ouenuku, Okoro – pūngao toharite, whakahokia te aroha ki a Ranginui
Me nohopuku tahi te whānau.
Me pō rama-kore, Tīwī-kore, waea-kore, rorohiko-kore anō hoki.

Tamatea-ā-ngana, Tamatea-ā-hotu, Tamatea-āio – te hī ika
Ika ika ika! Me hī ika!

Tamatea-kai-ariki, Huna, Ariroa, Hotu – whakahokia te aroha ki a Tangaroa
Whakatikatika i te onepū, i te awa rānei i tō rohe.
He hīkoi, he eke pahikara ā-whānau.

Māwharu, Atua, Ōhua – te whakatō kai
Whakatōkia he rākau hua, he rākau māori rānei hei koha ki tētahi kura, ki tētahi marae, ki Trees That Count rānei.

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The Maramataka dial | te Maramataka matarā, 2020. Te Papa

I whakaputaina te Maramataka matarā nā The Spinoff me Ayla Hoeta, ko te kaituhi (‘Move over astrology, it’s time to return to the Māori lunar calendar’).

Close te reo Māori text

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

Matariki: The Māori New Year

How to use the Maramataka | Māori lunar calendar Me pēwhea te whakamahi i te Maramataka

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How the Maramataka dial works

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How the Maramataka dial works

The Maramataka’s energy levels

Try these activities at each phase of the Maramataka

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Te mahi a te Maramataka matarā

Te mahi a te Maramataka matarā

Caption

Ngā pae pūngao o te Maramataka

Whakamātauria ēnei mahi ki ia mata o te Maramataka

Caption

Share

Matariki: The Māori New Year

How to use the Maramataka | Māori lunar calendar Me pēwhea te whakamahi i te Maramataka

Caption

How the Maramataka dial works

Caption

How the Maramataka dial works

The Maramataka’s energy levels

Try these activities at each phase of the Maramataka

Caption

Te mahi a te Maramataka matarā

Te mahi a te Maramataka matarā

Caption

Ngā pae pūngao o te Maramataka

Whakamātauria ēnei mahi ki ia mata o te Maramataka

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