What is Matariki? Ko Matariki kei runga, ko te tohu tēnā o te tau!

Matariki signals the Māori New Year. It is a time of renewal and celebration in New Zealand that begins with the rising of the Matariki star cluster.

The Matariki star cluster

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The Matariki star cluster. The two meanings of Matariki both refer to stars: mata ariki (eyes of god) and mata riki (little eyes).

When is Matariki?

Matariki is a star cluster which appears in the night sky during mid-winter. According to the Maramataka

Expand English text
Te kāhui whetū o Matariki.

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Te kāhui whetū o Matariki.

He tau hou

Ka hau ake a Matariki, a Puanga ka hui te whānau, ka tere atu ngā mahara ki te tau kua hipa, ka whiua he hākari, ā, ka titiro whakamua ki te tau e tū mai nei. 

He iwi mātai whetū ngā tūpuna. I ngā pō o Haratua, ka ngaro a Matariki i te tirohanga kanohi. Tāria te wā, ka mahuta ake te kāhui whetū o Matariki i te atapō.

E ai ki te maramataka, ko te aranga mai o Matariki te tohu o te tau hou. Ki ētehi iwi o Te Tai Hau-ā-uru, o Te Waipounamu ko Puanga kē te whetū tohu i...

Expand te reo Māori text