Matariki

Stars of Matariki and Puanga

Some iwi recognise seven stars and some recognise nine. There are also some iwi where Puanga is given importance. This is a list of names of stars in the Matariki cluster.

Matariki: Sometimes seen as the mother of the cluster. She is connected to health and wellbeing.

Pōhutakawa: This star is connected to the dead and those who have passed away in the last year.

Tupuānuku: Connected to food grown in the ground.

Tupuārangi: Connected to the forest and everything that grows above the ground and in trees eg fruit and birds.

Waitī: Relates to freshwater like rivers, streams, and lakes and the food sources in them.

Waitā: Relates to salt water and all the creatures and food in the sea.

Waipuna-ā-rangi: Connected to rain.

Ururangi: Connected to the winds.

Hiwa-i-te-rangi: Known as the wishing star. It is connected to the promise of a prosperous season.

Puanga: In some Māori pūrākau, Puanga is the older brother of Matariki.

General websites

Although the star cluster is recognised and celebrated in other cultures, the stories and traditions about Matariki are unique to New Zealand. This means the best place to look for information on this topic is on New Zealand websites.

Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand

Te Ara is a great starting point for all questions about New Zealand Aotearoa.

• Enter the keyword 'Matariki' in the search box.

• Look for the story called Matariki: Māori New Year.

• This is the Story summary, so remember to try other links under Contents to find more information.

• If you look under All images and media you will find pictures and videos about Matariki too.

Tips: We can tell from its website address that this site is a government site because it has .govt in the address, so we can be confident the information is well-researched and reliable.

Tips: Search words, or keywords, are the most important words in our question. Usually it’s better to leave out small words like ‘the’, ‘a’ and ‘of’ and just choose the main ones, e.g [matariki]. We can always change our keywords or add more if we need to.

Te Papa Tongarewa - Museum of New Zealand

New Zealand’s national museum also has lots of good information on Matariki.

• Enter 'Matariki' into the search box at the top of the page.

• You will find here a link called Matariki: The Māori New Year.

• The link What is Matariki? has a good explanation about the difference between Matariki and Puanga.

• The link The Maramataka is about the Māori lunar calendar.

Tips: Many web pages have links to further information or to other recommended sites. Following these links is a great way to find out more.

Te Wānanga o Aotearoa

Te Wānanga o Aotearoa is a learning environment where people can learn te reo Māori and more. They have information and videos about Matariki.

• Select the tab Stay connected | Hononga.

• Then look down the page to find Te Iwa o Matariki.

• This page has information about Matariki and some other resources.

• Check out the link to The Story of Matariki for a video.

Christchurch City Libraries

Christchurch City Libraries is a group of public libraries belonging to Christchurch City Council. Its website has lots of pages of information on popular New Zealand topics such as Matariki.

• Select Website in the box called Search the and then enter 'Matariki' into the search box.

• Find the link called Matariki for kids to read about traditions, stories, activities and links to other Matariki websites.

Tips: Many web pages have links to further information or to other recommended sites. Following these links is a great way to find out more. This searching method is called “pearl growing” because you are picking up pieces of sand to make a beautiful pearl!

Musuems Wellington

This is the site for four musuems in Wellington. It has information about Matariki and how to find it in the morning sky.

• Search for 'matariki'.

• Go to the page for Matariki to find out about the stars.

• Or look at How to find Matariki in the morning sky.

Matariki events - Eventfinda

Many Matariki celebrations take place at home when friends and family gather to share kai (food). For more public events, check out these Matariki events listed on the Eventfinda website.

Tips: Websites that have .com or .co in the address can have good information, but you need to assess how reliable it is. Check the About us link on the website, if you can find one. That can tell you what the company’s mission and values are.

Books

Your local or school library may also have some books about Matariki. Check out these titles:

• Matariki: the Maori New Year by Libby Hakaraia.

• Seven kites of Matariki by Calico McClintock.

• Matariki by Philippa Werry.

• The promise of Puanga : helper to the Whānau Matariki by Kirsty Wadsworth.

SCIS no: 1832262