Maanawatia a Matariki

*Maaori believe that the appearance of Matariki in the morning sky in the mid-winter marks the Maaori New Year, or Te Maatahi o te Tau.   

Our tuupuna (ancestors) would look to Matariki for help with their harvesting. When Matariki disappeared in April/May, it was time to preserve crops for the winter season. When it re-appeared in June/July, tuupuna would read the stars to predict the upcoming season – clear and bright stars promised a warm and abundant winter while hazy stars warned of a bleak winter. 

Because Maaori follow the Maaori lunar calendar, not the European calendar, the dates for Matariki change every year. 

Learn more about Matariki and the cluster of stars.

*Source - Te Wānanga o Aotearoa