Matariki

Matariki

A few years ago, many New Zealanders knew very little about Matariki. Matariki is known as “the Maori New Year”. The ancestors cherished and breathed new life into Matariki. Today Matariki is an important festival in our calendar. It is getting popular year by year. Did you know Matariki is made up of many groups of stars that has been there for thousands of years?  

In June you might get to see Matariki’s beautiful glory, if you keep your eyes close to the sky. Before dawn, you can see Matariki brightly in the sky.  If you spot Matariki in the morning, make sure you look out for the next new moon. Did you know a new moon is invisible?  But soon after this stage,  it appears as a tiny crescent of light that grows slowly night by night. When you see the seven stars and a new moon you would know that is matariki, the maori new year has began. Some people might say that if the stars are faint or hazy that means a cold season will follow. However, if the stars are bright and clear to see,  it means the coming season is warm and crops will be plenty. Year of plenty.

By Mikayla