Tomorrow is the day to celebrate Matariki – the Māori New Year – marked by the appearance of the Matariki star cluster (also known as Pleiades or the Seven Sisters) and the Puanga star. It’s a time to remember the year that has passed, to celebrate the present moment with loved ones, and to look forward with hope and intention to the next year
Matariki, the Māori New Year, is a pivotal time in the maramataka (Māori lunar calendar) – and in all our calendars now that it is, rightly, a public holiday.
Last week, we shared the best events to attend around the country during the Matariki season. On the day itself, maybe you don’t fancy going out and would rather do something fun and meaningful at home? The Matariki principles are reflection, celebration and preparation, and you can certainly do those in your kāinga.
Stargazing
Set your alarm so you can watch the Matariki (Pleiades) star cluster rise between 5am-7am (5.30-6.30 is the ideal time).
- Face Northeast: Position yourself so you have an unobstructed view of the northeastern horizon.
- Find Tautoru (Orion’s Belt): Look for the three distinct stars in a row that form the bottom of the Orion’s ‘Pot’.
- Trace the Line: Draw an imaginary line from Tautoru left (northwards) through the bright triangular cluster known as Te Kokotā (The Hyades).
- Locate the Cluster: Continue that line until you see a tight grouping of twinkling whetū (stars) that make up Matariki.
Prefer a visual guide? In this video, educator Hauiti Gardiner shows you how to find the Pleiades cluster.
If it’s hard to spot this cluster based on your location, it may be easier to spot Puanga (Rigel), the brightest star in the Orion constellation. For some iwi, the Pleiades mark the new year and, for others, Puanga does.
If you’re in Wellington or the Wairarapa, here are some good stargazing spots. And here are the best spots in Tāmaki Makaurau.
Kai time
Each of the nine Mataraki whetū relates to a domain of life: health and wellbeing, food from the ground, food from the sky, food from the ocean, freshwater (including freshwater kai), the rain, the winds, aspirations/wishes, and those who have passed away.
Four of the whetū represent kai, so it’s time to think about food for the day! Why not start with a Matariki breakfast? You could make a version of a cooked breakfast: perhaps heki (egg) on rēwana bread. I think I’ll go with savoury pancakes.
Not much of a breakfast person, or need more time to prepare kai? Feasts are a key Matariki tradition. Maybe invite over members of your extended whānau, neighbours, or friends. Here’s a recipe for hangi-style roast lamb which can be cooked in a regular oven. You may want to mix and match roast kumara, rīwai (potato) and kāreti (carrot) with seafood such as eel, snapper and shellfish. You may not be able to get hold of puha for a ‘puha and pork’ dish, but watercress could be used instead.
Time to Reflect
A key tradition of Matariki is to think about the year gone by, and any loved ones who have passed away over that time. The Matariki cluster is at the front of Te Waka o Rangi, which carries the souls of those who passed away during the previous year – and Puanga, along with the Tautoru constellation, are at the stern. Maybe you could hold a few minutes of silence to think about them, or share your fondest memories of them.
Setting Intentions
Matariki is also a time to think about the year ahead. Why not set some New Year’s resolutions now, rather than January 1st when you were still on holiday? Perhaps you could jot down some thoughts for what you envisage as important over the next year, or maybe have a conversation with your whānau about it.
Tamariki can do this too. What made them happy this past year? What things they are thankful for? What are they looking forward to in the year to come?
Art and Crafts
If you have kids, why not make some Matariki art? Here are some possibilities: paint-and-glitter star art, making stars from paper or harakeke, a Matariki bottle necklace, maybe a glass or tin-can lantern. You may enjoy this as much as your child will! And your child may have learned a waiata at school that they can teach you.
Get on board
With Matariki being a time to bring people together, why not finish off the evening with some boardgames? Our family favourite is word-guessing game Taboo (a bit like Articulate) but you might prefer Pictionary. Scrabble or any other boardgames gathering dust on a shelf.
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