Why is Matariki important?

Why is Matariki important?

Matariki is all about celebration, and spending time with family. Matariki was also important for agriculture. The coming of Matariki symbolized the harvest festival where the Maori feasted on the crops they had prepared. Matariki is important because it also is the time to restart the Maori calendar.

What does Matariki mean?

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

Why is Matariki particularly important for our NZ nation?

Matariki, also known as Māori New Year, is a time for celebration, growth and renewal. It’s a chance to get together and remember whānau who have died, share food, tell stories, sing and play music.

Is Matariki a god?

Matariki is a shortened version of Ngā mata o te ariki o Tāwhirimātea, or “the eyes of the god Tāwhirimātea”. According to Māori mythology, Tāwhirimātea, god of wind and weather, was enraged by the separation of heaven and earth – his parents, Ranginui and Papatūānuku.

What is the Matariki story?

Matariki – The Eyes of God tells the story of Ranginui, the sky father, and Papatūānuku, the earth mother who were separated by their children. It is a tale of renewal, opportunity and reflection on who we are and our connection to our whanau.

How can you identify Matariki?

To find Matariki, look to the left of Tautoru (the pot), find the bright orange star, Taumata-kuku (Alderbaran). Follow an imaginary line from Tautoru, across to Taumata-kuku and keep going until you hit a cluster of stars. That cluster is Matariki. If you have good eyes you should be able to pick out individual stars.

What is the history of Matariki?

Traditionally, Matariki was a time to acknowledge the dead and to release their spirits to become stars. It was also a time to reflect, to be thankful to the gods for the harvest, to feast and to share the bounty of the harvest with family and friends.

What is the Matariki Festival about?

Puanga and Matariki is a time to encourage whanaungatanga, share stories and kai. It also marks the beginning of the Māori New Year which traditionally was time to plant trees, prepare the lands for planting crops and more importantly renew links with whanau and friends.

What’s the story behind Matariki?

What do the stars of Matariki mean?

Matariki is the star that signifies reflection, hope, our connection to the environment and the gathering of people. Matariki is also connected to the health and wellbeing of people. May you shine as stars in the night, and sparkle within the repository of memories forever more.

What Matariki 2021?

Matariki is the Māori name for the stars also known as the Pleiades star cluster in the constellation Taurus. Celebrations begin on the day of the first new moon following the rising of the star cluster. In 2021 the Matariki star cluster will rise in the morning skies on July 2, beginning a month of celebration.

Is Matariki still visible?

There is one time every year it is not visible at all, after which the festival of Matariki is celebrated, when we can just see it rising at dawn. This happens at the same time every year, however the Matariki festival is anytime from the beginning to the end of June.

What does Matariki stand for in New Zealand?

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

What was the purpose of Matariki in ancient times?

In traditional times, Matariki was a season to celebrate and to prepare the ground for the coming year. Offerings of the produce of the land were made to the gods, including Rongo, god of cultivated food.

When does Matariki appear in the night sky?

Matariki is a star cluster which appears in the night sky during mid-winter. According to the Maramataka (the Māori lunar calendar), the reappearance of Matariki, brings the old lunar year to a close and marks the beginning of the new year. Hence, Matariki is associated with the Māori New Year. Ka puta Matariki ka rere Whānui.

When to celebrate Matariki in the United States?

Different peoples celebrate Matariki at different times; some when Matariki rises in late May or early June while others observe it at the first full moon or first new moon following the rising of Matariki. In 2018, Matariki begins on 15 June.